The Unfortunates
by Vamay
Summary: The Sequel to Watching Death. The Unfortunates are the ones the Capitol watch walk to thier death once a year. Now our young characters are experiencing another life changing Hunger Games, and we're lucky enough to watch. CLOSED!
1. Tributes Left Standing

**Male: Vengeance Quiseng**

**Female: Kaleidoscope Darmody**

**District 2:**

**OUT OF THE GAMES**

**District 3:**

**OUT OF THE GAMES**

**District 4:**

**Male: Neal Shaw**

**District 5:**

**Female:** **Ravenna Lawlee**

**District 6:**

**OUT OF THE GAMES**

**District 7: **

**Male: Lionel Carter**

**District 8: **

**Male: Raven Cruz**

**Female: Violet Blackthorne**

**District 9:**

**Male: Connor Lizben**

**District 10:**

**OUT OF THE GAMES**

**District 11:**

**Female: Transdessa Joromene**

**District 12:**

**Male: Ian Drees**


	2. The Prolog

**Ledsia Alieer**

What is it like to be one of the unfortunates? Those who are chosen to fight to the death when the ones they love is on the other side of your weapon. Some never have to find out. They are those fortunate's who walk away from a reaping with a smile on their face. Some have small problems like, a beloved pet dyed, or their sister skinned her knee playing on the dirty cobblestone in the middle of their district. These are problems, I won't disagree with you there, but they are not anything compared to the loss of a child. You might as well die as well if the person you raised is ripped away from you. Limb by limb.

So I'll ask you once more. What is it like to be one of the unfortunates? The answer is quite simple really, because there is none. It is a feeling only they can tell you. But, they would have to come back to tell you that.

**Cinna Welkins**

I look around the cramped office for a pencil for nearly an hour. _Come on! _I think to myself. _This is a design building for Christ sake! You'd think they'd have a damn pencil!_

"Mr. Welkins?" a young woman's voice comes from behind me. I blush from under the table and scramble to my feet as soon as I catch my breath. I look at her once, and notice her curly blonde hair, and spring green eyes. Not exactly the norm, but neither am I. I look more closely and take note of her tan skin, and red cheeks, her eyelashes are big and full, and she's slender, but not small.

"Mr. Welkins?" she asks again. I shake my head, and remind myself over and over again not to stare.

"Y-yes?" I stammer. My tongue is in knots, and I can't keep my cheeks from burning.

"I noticed some of your designs by the printer," she says in a clear voice. "They're brilliant."

"Thank you. I worked hard on all of them," I tell her, desperately trying to keep my cool. She takes a gentle step towards me, and smiles a slightly crooked smile.

"I'd love it if you were to look over mine," she says, casting her eyes down.

"Sure. Of course. Yes!" I answer. _Over doing it? Yup._

"Great!" she looks me right in the eye. "How about coffee tomorrow?"

I nod in agreement, and she gives me one last triumphant smile before turning on her heel, and walking back down the line of offices.

"Wait!" I call after her. She turns back to me, about halfway down the long hall. "What's your name?"

"Portia."

**Aimon Lynch**

I wake up to the thud of something coming from the front door. I hold the flask tightly, and stumble after the noise. I look down at her, and frown. My wife is standing there with her bags packed.

"Where are you going?" I ask her.

"Home!" she yells back. "Aimon, I knew this was never going to work out. I knew it. You never came out of those games and… and you never will!" Amy screams, picking up her bag in a huff.

"Wait!" I hold my arm out, and stop the door stops from slamming. "Why?"

"I never had your heart. You gave it all to her."

"I've told before! Dalayla is a distant memory! I can't go back to thinking about her again… I-I-I won't!" I yell back at her. I remember months after the games I had nightmares that Dalayla was still alive. That she was still with me. But, then, as if out of no where, blood drips from her chest, and she falls to the ground. Months turned into years, and then I meet Amy. For six whole months I felt slightly happy. Now she was leaving.

"Goodbye Aimon."

**Felix Welkins**

I look at Peeta from the counter. I watch carefully out the window as Peeta sighs as a young girl walks by, holding her sister's hand. I know her, but I've only spoken to her once. Her name is Katniss Everdeen, and my poor little friend is hopelessly in love with her.

"Why don't you just go talk to her?" I ask him encouragingly.

"No," he glares at me. "I don't want to."

"Didn't look that way to me. Looked like you _really_ wanted to," I tell him, and give him a big, toothy smile to make sure he knew I was teasing him. "Just go, what could be the harm?"

Peeta looks from me, to the back door, to Katniss, then back to me again. "I guess…"

"I'll do all of the cakes today," I offer.

"All of them? But the mayor's brother is getting married! The cake will be huge!" he exclaims.

"No. I want you to have some time off," I smile at him. He gives me a wary look, and turns too walk outside. He makes it up to her, and she smiles while brushing a strand of dark hair behind her ear.

"H-hey," I hear him say, and she's about to answer him when he comes running into the bakery to vomit in the waste bin.

**~ Kind of a prolog. The tributes so far are on the previous chapter :)**


	3. The Life of Ledsia

**~Still need 4 more boys!**

**Ledsia Alieer**

So far, my life is a nightmare. I look at Darren from the corner of my eye and glare at him. He was keeping me in this marriage, and in the process, breaking me and my children. One time I got up in the middle of the night, and carried all three of my kids to the front door. I didn't bother packing because I knew that I would make to much noise. I expected Darren to wake up, push the kids back to bed, then take me to our room and beat me. Then we would "make up", as he called it.

But, when I stepped out of the door that night, all that came to get me was the taxi I had called earlier. I smiled at the driver, and drove to my mother's house. She greeted us all warmly, and sat the kids down where the old machine in the corner of her kitchen rumbled to life, and cocoa came out into three mugs. They were the same ones me and my brothers had when we were little. The one with a superhero was Cinna's, while the one with a princess was mine. Jailee went for it at first, but being my mature child; she smiled and handed it to Lena. My oldest reminds me so much of Cinna, always sacrificing something.

Jailee and Lena both look like a mix between Darren and myself. That night I held my youngest close to my chest and smiled when he opened his grey eyes. My eyes. Lena has them too, and I smiled like this too when she was a baby also. Jailee's eyes are a shocking blue, like Darren. When she was born I was still in love with Darren. So, I thought that her eyes looked beautiful. Now, they seem like a curse that pulls me into a world I want to escape every time I look at her.

The phone ringing was like a shrill sound from a horror movie. My mother smiled at the sound though, and picked up the receiver. She looked at me, and brushed back her blue hair, and handed it to me.

"It's Darren," she said happily. I hadn't told her that I was leaving my husband when I had come in, but now I was holding the phone, talking to the man I was running from.

"Hello darling," he said from the other end. His voice felt like a monster breathing down my neck. "Why don't you come home?"

"Honey, I'm with my mother. It'd be rude to leave so soon," I replied, my voice shaking with every word.

"I'm sure she'll understand," he growled. I put down the phone, and looked at my mom with watery eyes. She looked surprised for a second, then, she frowned. She took me in her arms just like I was a little girl again, and whipped away my tears with her thumbs.

"There, there," she hummed. My children all looked worried, but Jailee shooed them all into the living room, and turned on the television. The Hunger Games had been on, and Lena bent over on the couch to cover Caden's eyes. A scream came from the room, and I thought about the tribute that had died.

The door to the apartment swung open, and I buried my face in my mother's shirt as Darren walked in. He looked pleasant for waking up in the middle of the night, and smiled at my mother. She scowled back, and held me tighter. When I had gotten married, my mother was the happiest person alive. She practically skipped down the aisle with me, since she thought she was just as good as my father.

Darren walked past her, and into the living room. "Hey, Buddy!" he said. Caden smiled at his father, and ran into his open arms. I wanted to pluck my baby right out of there, and bring him somewhere far away. Maybe the place where Felix ran eleven years ago. I felt a burning desire to find my brother right then, and felt that is where I needed to go. Some day.

Darren had brought me home, and tucked the kids in bed. I looked at him from the foot of our bed, and he smiled. He kissed me hard, and I tried to break away from him, but he's stronger than me.

Now, I looked out the window of our home, and watch the sun dip under the Capitol skyline. A knock comes from the door, and I glance at it once, but don't move from my post on the couch.

I hear Caden's light footsteps come down the stairs, and the mail slot pull open. He giggles and opens the door. I look back at the entry way, and see Cinna standing there. He smiles, a half smile, and holds out his arms. I run into them, and Caden tries to climb up his leg.

"What brings you here?" I ask him, too happy to think about Darren. Cinna hasn't come to my home since my wedding, seven years ago.

"I have some news," he frowns. I'm still holding him as he looks past my shoulder. "Bad news," he mumbles, seeming more intrigued with whatever is up the stairs. I look behind me to see Darren. He is poorly shaven, and in his pajamas.

"I thought I told you never to come here again," he growls at my brother.

"You told him _what_?" I scream back, no longer afraid. "Darren, he's my brother!"

"It's fine," Cinna says, turning me back to face him. "I'll see you soon. Call me or something," he whispers, and kisses me lightly on the cheek before hurrying out the door.

"You had no right, no right to-" I let out, and he smacks me across the face.

"Shut up, woman!" he yells back. I look at Caden from the floor, and his eyes have gone wide. He holds out his hands, as if in surrender, and runs away, out the door.

**A look into the life of Ledsia :'(**


	4. Days before the Reaping

**Cinna Welkins**

I had gone to coffee with Portia just like I had promised, and seen her designs. They were just as brilliant as I had hoped. She had one that was a glittery dress in the pattern of flames, and in return I showed her my chariot outfit I was working on for District Twelve.

"Where on Earth did you get the inspiration for this one?" she had asked me excitingly.

"My brother," I replied with a smile.

I always thought of my brother as if he was still me goofy sixteen year old brother picking on his sister, and ruffling my hair as he walked down the hallway. Even before he became my friend, he was still a little nice. Well, in his own sort of way. We would race to the bathroom every morning, and he walked me to school when Ledsia broke her leg in seventh grade. I always asked him how it happened and he would always laugh and reply: "She fell. My amazing klutz of a sister."

I miss him more than anything. I wish I could go find him, but I have work, and…

I look over at Portia, still trying to push the memories away. She was sitting on her bed waiting for me. I tried to smile, but she caught on, and frowned.

"What's wrong?" she asks, genuinely concerned for me.

"It's nothing. I just- just think we're taking things a little too quickly. I mean, I've known you three weeks, and-"

"Don't be silly," she cuts me off. I had made it up, covering up the fact that I was thinking about Felix more than her. I lean down and kiss her lightly, with my hands on her knees. She smiles, and brings me closer to her than ever before. I take in a deep breath, trying desperately to remember what Felix had told me about the birds and the bees, but that was twelve years ago! I was nine!

I decide, in the end, to just let it happen.

**Felix Welkins**

I pat Peeta's back as he vomits in the waste basket for the fourth time this week. I'm surprised that he has anything to throw up, I mean, all we eat around here is stale bread and water.

"I am never talking to her again," he sputters after he's finished. I hand him a towel to wipe his face, and smiled at him.

"You just need to find what makes her happy… Maybe try giving her something. Like… flowers. Girls like flowers right?"

"Not Katniss," he mutters. "Besides, I'd look like a freak if I tried to just hand over a flower randomly."

"How about you try liking someone else for a while. Maybe someone more… easy," I try. "Like her," I point out the store window to a pretty blonde girl around Peeta's age.

"Oh, no, no, no," he says quickly. "Anyone but her."

"Why?" I ask confused. I've never even seen her here and Peeta acts like she's some sort of disease.

"She's the mayor's daughter!"

**Reapings are up next! :D**


	5. District One

**Vengeance Quiseng**

"_This is stupid, Worth. Give it up!" my mother had said six days before she died. "I will not let you ruin our son." She held me, and I looked up at my father with watery eyes as he came at her. She fell to the old planked floor, and held out her hand to me for help. But I was scared. _

_I looked up at father, and he kneeled in front of me and whispered in my ear. "Someday, son, when your older, your going to make me proud. You're going to go out in the world and make something of yourself. You're going to be a champion."_

"_Don't listen to him, Ven!" my mother screamed from her spot on the floor. I looked at her with a shaking hands, and wobbly knees. I shook my head and ran. _

I still remember that day, even now when I'm looking up at the stage, waiting for my name to be called. It was never my father's plan to have me go into the games. He always wanted me to avenge my uncle. He never told me what happened, or what I was supposed to do, but I trained, and I trained hard. I waited a life time to show him that I can be my own person, to go into these games, and prove to him that I'm not just his puppet.

"Ladies first!" Joliena screams. The microphone makes a piercing sound, and a few thirteen year olds jump in surprise. She clears her throat, and sticks her dragon hands in the reaping ball for the girls. I look at Talent Porter once, and she smiles a sad smile before looking back at up at our district's escort.

"Kaleidoscope Darmody!" she yells in excitement. An old man on the stage stands up, and his lower lip quivers as a girl from the seventeen's steps up to the stage proudly, but she doesn't smile. She seems to get glaring at each and every one of us in the crowd when Joliena asks for volunteers. No one steps up.

Our escort shrugs once and reaches into the ball containing all of the boy's names. I itch in anticipation. I look behind me to see my father biting his lower lip. I wish my mother was there to help him through this, but I know she's never coming back. I'm not blind.

"Avery Jale!" she yells. A twelve year old with a skinny frame, and messy blonde hair takes a couple steps towards the stage, then stops. He looks behind him, at his peers, and shakes his head before mouthing something. They wave their hands in encouragement, but he starts crying, continuing to shake his head.

"No!" he screams at them, and runs through the crowd. The peacekeepers run after him, but they all over eat, and can barely pick themselves up. I catch the boy's arm as he tries to duck past me, and look him right in the eye. He's shaking, and trying to come out of my grasp. I wave off the peacekeeper, he nods, and holds his side.

"Don't worry," I smile at Avery. "Go home."

I let go of his arm, and he hurries to, what I assume, is his mother. I feel a pang of jealousy, but then I make my way through the crowd, and look up at Kaleidoscope who narrows her dull green eyes.

I feel a hand on my shoulder, jerking me backwards. I spin around to see my father.

"What are you doing?" I scream at him, easily pulling my arm out of his grasp.

"You can't… You can't do this to me!" he screams.

"I have to!" I yell right back. Usually, I got hit for talking to him like that, but with all the cameras around, he wouldn't dare. I leave him to stand next to Kaleidoscope who still isn't smiling.

"Vengeance Quiseng," I tell the escort before she can ask. She smiles and nods before bringing back the crowd. She announces our names, and my father is still in the middle of the square looking up at me in shock. I look past him, and shake Kaleidoscope's hand before walking next to her, and into the Justice Building.

**~District One :D**


	6. District Two

**Kaylee Darkblade**

I look at the rest of the eighteen year olds with a smile. Not even Melody knows what I'm planning as she holds my hand while our escort makes his shrill announcements. The treaty treason is as boring as it is every year, but I'm too distracted with my own imagination.

I look up at him as he yells, "Ladies first!"

I hold my breath in anticipation as Melody squeezes my hand. Alez holds his own breath, and reaches into the glass bowl full of names. He swishes his hand around a little until he finds the one he wants. It's folded neatly, and he undoes the paper to reveal the name of the lucky lady.

He bends over towards the microphone and yells "Daneel Rut!" A small brunet girl from the fourteens nearly jumps out of her skin before walking up to the stage. I have to shake my head to remember what I'm supposed to do.

"I volunteer!" I yell, as I step forward. Melody reaches for my hand, and holds it tightly. I see a wave of relief go through Daneel before looking back at Melody.

"No," she pleads silently. "You can't do it."

"I have to," I say silently back. She shakes her head, and let's go of my hand to cross her arms tightly across her chest. I can almost make out the word 'fine', but I will never know for sure. I don't think she'll be happy with me today, or any day for that matter. Whether I come home, or not.

I step up to the stage and look at Alez with a small smile.

"No one ever waits…" he trails off muttering to himself. I guess the escorts like it better when _they_ call for volunteers.

**Phoenix Grail**

I squint up at the stage and shrug when I notice Kaylee. Another career begging for attention, the opposite of what I need right now. Even, on the slightest of chances that I was picked for the Hunger Games, I wouldn't be selfish and die easily like all those other idiots.

I look over and sigh when Rylee, and Sky link their arms around mine. Rylee brushes my cheek, but I squirm away from her. _What is wrong with the girls from District Two? _I think to myself, as I try to pay attention as our escort picks from the boy's names.

"Phoenix Grail!" he yells.

"Sorry ladies," I say to them. "I've got a game to compete in!" they both look at me in shock, but let me jog up to the stage quickly. First, I think of this as a way out, but I know that a painful road is ahead of me.

**~ Sorry this is short… I am SO tired today… -.- … Anyways, I hope there isn't any typos this time :)**


	7. The Rest Of The Reapings

**Felix Welkins**

As I watch the reapings go by one by one, I look over at Peeta who is staring out the store window. I give him an odd look as the television clickers. I pound the top, but nothing helps when District Three comes on the screen. I give up and turn the damn thing off.

Peeta shakes his head, and looks at me, and then at the black screen. "Why'd you turn it off?" he asks.

"I think it's broken," I scratch my head, and stand up straighter. Peeta comes around behind me and cuts the cord that attaches to the wall. "What did you do that for?"

"So when the peacekeepers wonder why we're not watching, we can say the cable broke," he yawns, and goes upstairs. I look back down at the cable and then look out at the street in front of the store. But, I don't see Katniss Everdeen or Primrose for that matter, but none other than Madge Undersee.

**Neal Shaw**

**(District 4)**

I wait silently for the reaping to be over. Nothing can be more boring than this one time of the year. Since the summer heat is starting in on us, I wipe my forehead and silently remind myself to cut my hair when I get home. I twist the glass seashell around my neck in my hand as our escort picks the first slip of paper out of the girl's bowl.

"Rainey Assana!" she yells. A younger girl comes out of the sixteen year old section. She's wearing a short grey dress that cinches tight around her small waist, and her dark blonde hair is pulled into a sloppy bun at the back of her head. I almost decide that she's pretty when I see a seventeen year old boy lean forward from his section. I recognize him as Riferr Holden. I shove my hands deep into my pockets, and look at my toes as Rainey takes her place on the stage.

"Now for the boys!" I can practically hear the smile in her voice. Sickening. "Neal Shaw!"

I look up at the stage puzzled for a second, then up at the sky just to make sure I wasn't dreaming. There's a hand on my shoulder, and I turn around to see Wasser Assana. He wears a confused and sad expression.

"Please help her," he whispers to me. I shrug, and silently walk up the steps to the stage. Rainey is looking around the crowd frantically, and then at me. I have to shake her arm rather than her hand because she's shaking so hard.

I look her right in the eye, and smile for the first time in what feels like forever. She sighs and nods at me, and finally, smiles back.

**Aimon Lynch**

I wake up in a fog as Johanna looks down at me. I remember her winning a couple years back, and this year I'll have a partner instead of a dumb escort. Usually, the Capitol insists that escorts be assigned to every district, but I find that it works better this way.

"Get up!" she yells, and smacks me right in the face.

"What was that for?" I yell back, twice as angry.

She sighs, and pulls me up into sitting position. "I know your wife left you, but we still have a show to put on."

I roll back into the pillows and moan. "But I don't want to!" I whine. But, knowing Johanna Mason, she's not paying attention to anything I'm saying. I face her and make the best puppy dog eyes I can, but she only rolls her eyes, and walks out the door.

"I'll meet you in the square in twenty minutes!"

I make it there just in time to see Johanna announcing the treaty treason. She glares at me for a moment, and I wink back. No one ever wants to say that damn speech every year, but never the less, the show must go on.

I turn around to see Cedar standing behind me with a guilty smile on his face. I look at him puzzled for a moment, but decide to ignore it. He used to be my best friend before the games started eleven years ago, but ever since I came home, he's stayed far away from me.

I take my seat and listen to Johanna make the speech until it's time to call out the girls. I turn to Mayor Jay and smile at him warmly. "Bet your happy at this is Danny's last year," I tell him.

"Oh," he laughs, holding his large gut. "I'm just as worried for him as I am every year."

Johanna's hand plucks the first paper she touches, and reads off the name clearly. "Ashlyn Code!" I shake my head at the name.

"Couldn't be…" I mutter, and Jay elbows my side when my eyes go wide. A younger girl with dark hair steps up on the stage with a smile and waves to the crowd as Johanna turns to me and rolls her eyes. I shrug and wait for the boy to be called, while at the same time keeping Risto Code out of my head.

"Lionel Carter," Johanna says more flatly into the microphone. A seventeen year old walks out confidently, and lazily steps up to the stage. As Johanna asks for volunteers, Lionel looks at me and raises his eyebrows. 'What?' I mouth, leaning forward. He smiles, and shakes his head before shaking Ashlyn's hand.

The tributes are marched off to the Justice Building for their goodbyes, and Jay smiles at me. "You'll do fine, Aimon," the old man says, putting a hand on my shoulder. I remember him doing the same thing when I got home.

"Well, Jay, I don't know if we stand much of a chance. But, I mean, I thought Johanna would be the first one dead, but now look at her," I say looking over at my one and only victory in the games since I became a mentor.

"Yes," he says, eyeing her. "Look at her." Johanna comes up behind me, and clears her throat to make her presence known.

"Uh, Aimon?" I turn to face her, and wait. "Someone's here to see you." Cedar comes onto the stage and swallows before opening his mouth.

"I need to talk to you," he says quietly.

"About…?" I ask. He pulls me over roughly to the other end of the stage, and I look back at the mayor smiling warmly at Johanna. _If he lays one finger on her… I'll… I'll…_

"I slept with your wife."

"You _what_?" I scream back.

"I didn't mean to…"

"What do you mean, _you didn't mean to_?" I scream. "What? She came in your dump of a house and stripped, and before you could catch your breath she jumped you? That is _not _Amy… She wouldn't…" I look at my toes before cursing him and running to the trains.

**Andrew Mellark**

The square filled up quickly by two o'clock. I watch Peeta go over with the other twelve year olds, and I can already feel my heart pounding. Even though he only has his name in there three times, that doesn't make me any less nervous. _Some boys from the seam have there name in there at least forty more, _I think, trying to calm my nerves.

I can't help but laugh when Effie Trinket steps onto the stage with a cheesy grin on her face. She says the dull, and boring treaty treason, and then she gets on to the moment we've all been waiting for. Of course, the girls are going first, and I have no sisters, and both of my parents were only children so there's really nothing to worry about. I smile at Peeta from across the square, but he's looking between a pretty blonde girl, and a seam girl before shaking his head, and turning back to Effie.

Haymitch stumbles onto the stage, right on cue, and smiles at Mayor Undersee. His yellow teeth, and probably his smell, make the mayor scoot his two chairs away from him. Haymitch shrugs, and takes another swig.

Effie turns her hand around a couple of times inside the reaping ball before drawing a name.

"Basil Knight!" she screeches. I don't recognize her, but I see a smaller girl push through the crowd, and _her _I recognize. Lisette Knight. I see her everywhere in town. Whether it's buying bread, or cloth, she's the runner.

Now is the time when I hold my breath. My mother made Peeta the one to get more slips in the bowl. I feel sorry for my little brother, but I know he'll do fine. Even if he ever was picked for the games because my devil of a mother, he would come back.

"Ian Drees!" she yells. I practically deflate with relief. The crowd parts when the tributes enter the Justice Building, and I walk back to the bakery with Jamie, Peeta, and Felix.

"So, were you scared out there?" Felix teases, and elbows my side gently.

"Not at all."

**~ So these are the rest of the reapings :D I checked it over and over again for typos, so I hope there isn't any! For those of you that didn't read Watching Death, I skip around A LOT! All of your tributes will be in the story at one point DO NOT WORRY! :D**


	8. Chariots, and Bread

**Cinna Welkins**

I look from my lap, back into Portia's eyes as we sit down to dinner. She has tears in her eyes, but she won't cry. She looks down at the empty plate, then at the note that is sitting in front of her. When I saw it, I didn't want to believe what that doctor had scribbled onto that piece of paper. I was only twenty-one… and I couldn't have a child.

I tried to talk to Ledsia about it last week, but her demon of a husband came downstairs. I try to smile at Portia, but she doesn't say anything. "Could be worse," I try, but she only looks at me for a moment, about to burst with tears and anger. Her usual pale face is red, and her eyes are glazed over.

I stand up and kneel in front of her, with my hands on her knees. "What do we do, Cinna?" she asks through streams of tears.

"I don't know."

**Primrose Everdeen**

I lay down on the floor next to Katniss as the chariots come on to the television. I smile at the sight of District One. They're all done up in glittering outfits, but the girl doesn't smile. When the camera makes a close up on her face, she looks at her partner with big dull green eyes, but shakes her head and turns back to the crowd. I almost feel like she wants to smile and have fun in the Capitol, but she wants to seem strong… or something.

Katniss smirks at the sight of District Two. They're all done up in lab coats, and Kaylee Darkblade has a stunning blue dress underneath. "What?" I ask, turning to Katniss.

"The boy seems a little cocky, huh?" she says, pointing at the boy next to her. I shrug, and turn towards the bedroom where my mother is staying. She didn't want to come out. Dad only died a year ago, but it always seemed that families who had losses because of the mines could pick themselves up pretty quickly. But, maybe it's because mom didn't experience that kind of tragedy growing up like we did.

I get up to go check on her, and Katniss huffs in anger. She's been mad at our mother ever since she came into her depression. I don't think Katniss really understands what our mother is going through, I don't think anyone does. Their love was special.

"Mother?" I say, knocking on the frame of the door as I enter her bedroom. All of the curtains are pulled shut, and all I can see is a lump in the pile of blankets. I sit on the edge of the bed and find her face to pull her blonde hair away. She still has tear stains on her cheeks, and I try to wipe them away with my thumbs as if she were the child instead of the other way around.

"I need him, Prim," she whispers. "You don't even know how much… I…" she gets out before another round of sobs wash over her. I lean down to kiss her cheek, and whisper quietly.

"I'll bring you dinner in an hour."

I let go of her, and walk back out into the main room of the house. Katniss is still perched in front of the TV and glares at me as I pass her. District Eleven is rolling past as I go to sit down next to her. They're in leafy outfits with fruit and flowers. As odd as it may seem, the two of them look stunning next to each other.

"The girl has the most peculiar name," Katniss laughs.

"Trans-dess-a," I say slowly. We both laugh, and finally see District Twelve come out. Katniss rests her head in her hands, and expect another group of coal miners to come out. Katniss's eyes go wide, and she reaches over to cover my eyes. I squirm out of her grip and gasp when I see the pair is completely naked, and covered in coal dust. The camera closes in on their face, and Ian has an extremely uncomfortable smile on his face. The camera starts to go down, and Katniss squeezes her eyes shut, as well as covers mine. I don't understand what the big deal is, but I let her cover them.

When the chariot rides are finally over, Katniss turns the television off. We talk for a moment or two, but just end up sitting on the floor for a while.

"I think I'm going to go into town for a bit," I say, suddenly thinking of mom.

"What do you need there?" Katniss asks.

"Food…?"

"No, no," she says, standing up. "I'll go."

"Are you sure?" I ask. I look outside and the rain is already starting. Not only is Katniss a seam girl, she also looks like a seam girl. I've learned over and over again how the town people don't particularly care for us seam folk.

I don't get an answer as Katniss runs out the front door, and into the rain towards town.

**Felix Welkins**

I watch Andy carefully as he starts icing the cake. He smiles at his work, but he went the completely wrong direction. I smile back, and he runs to the storeroom, and I chuck the cake in the trash. "Did I just hear perfectly good food being thrown away?" Mrs. Mellark snaps from behind me. I turn on my heel, and she's waiting there with her favorite weapon ready. She taps the wooden spoon against her leg, and waits for me to answer.

Jamie comes from downstairs, and takes out the bread from the ovens. A thud comes from outside, and Mrs. Mellark is in a frenzy. She storms outside yelling at the top of her lungs. Jamie winces at his mother, but he continues to pull out the bread. All I can make out from the mother of the household is that some 'Seam rat is pawing through her trash.'

Peeta looks from around the corner, confused. He tries to look out the back window, but Jamie holds him back.

"No, I wanna see!" he fights, and decides the way he's going is useless. He turns himself the other direction, and gets past his brother. Jamie's eyes go wide, and only then do I notice that Peeta has knocked the pan right into the coals of the oven. The baker's bread is on fire, and Jamie starts hitting the poor thing with a dishrag. Peeta comes in, and Jamie hands the bundle of coal covered loaves to his brother.

Mrs. Mellark follows him in, and Peeta closes his eyes, and waits for the blow. And boy does it come.

"Feed it to the pigs you disgusting creature!" she screams, throwing him back out the door. "No one's going to buy burned bread!" She turns to me, and points one of her long, dragon fingers. "I'll deal with you later."

Once she's gone, I hurry over to the window to watch, and Jamie is right behind me. We watch as Peeta stands at the pigpen tearing of chunks of burned bread until he looks at the seam girl. I smile when I notice who she is.

"Undersee has nothing on her," I mutter.

"Wanna make a bet?" Jamie whispers, and puts two coins down on the windowsill.

"You're on," I smile at him.

Peeta looks at us, and makes a motion with his hand, begging us to go away. He finally looks at Katniss, and throws the bread in her general direction. He sprints inside and up to his room before Katniss can even move.

"I am so gonna win," Jamie laughs.

"Look again," I say, still looking out the window. Katniss's eyes light up, and she hugs the bread to her chest before running back to the Seam.

"Damn."


	9. Lies

**Aimon Lynch**

I sit at the table with Johanna for a while until Lionel and Ashlyn decide to join us again. I don't pay much attention to my food, as Ashlyn digs in to her own. She doesn't look at me, and Lionel is speaking softly to Johanna. She smirks, and rolls her eyes a lot, so she must not think much of him. But hey, she does that to me too.

"So, where do you come from sweetheart?" I ask, making her as uncomfortable as Haymitch from District Twelve does with his own tributes. Haymitch is a good friend, but rough around the edges. Ashlyn's cheeks flush for a moment, but then she looks at me with a wise look in her eye.

"Originally," she starts, but then takes a deep breath, as if thinking things over. "Originally, my family was in the herding business. Up in District Five. But, with money running short, and cattle dying, we decided to move down to District Seven. Father thought that it would make an easier living."

"I see," I mutter.

"I used to have a brother, but we lost him when we traveled. I was just a baby, so he was very young as well," she continued.

"How old were you?" Johanna asks, looking at me with worried eyes rather than our tribute.

"Uh… I was just born, and infant."

"That must have been hard for your parents, I can't imagine…"

"I don't remember any of it, so I don't feel like I know my brother at all," she says, only thinking about herself.

I barely notice when a line of Avoxs come through and clear our dishes. We let both teenagers go into their rooms before we get them ready for interviews. Johanna stands up, and leads me down the hall, and stops when she comes to the dead end.

"Do you believe her?" I ask, suddenly furious. "I mean, what are the odds that Risto's sister is my new tribute for District Seven? I mean, she could have at least kept that part of it to herself!"

"You started the conversation," Johanna points out.

"Still," I huff, and cross my arms tightly across my chest. I feel like a kid again, but this time my mother wasn't here to tell me that I'm a big boy, and I can do this. No, she was long dead along with my father.

"But, there's one flaw with her story," she says, smiling her sly smile.

"What's that?"

"Well, one, if she left District Five when she was an infant, fifteen years ago, then Risto would have been eleven, not 'very young'," she explains, but pauses for a moment to look at me. I wait for her to continue, and she shakes her head. "And, two, Ashlyn kept saying that she came down to District Seven. I don't know if you remember your Victory Tour, but we headed _south_ to District Five, not north." She looks at me again, and I straighten up when I realize how dumb I must be looking.

"Is that it?" I ask awkwardly.

"Aimon, she was lying to you. She is not Risto Code's long lost sister."

The truth sinks in, and I can only lean against the wall. I feel relieved, in a way, because I don't have to send my ally's sister into the arena, especially when his family left him behind. I know there's more to that story. But, also, I'm furious that she would try to sweet talk me into accepting her. I don't think there's ever been a year where I didn't like a tribute, and I didn't want to start now.

This was all too much to take in. I couldn't think straight, even when I'm storming away from Johanna and towards the tributes' rooms. Lionel is sitting next to Ashlyn's door with a worried look on his face.

I pass him and step into the room, about to yell until I see her crumbles figure lying on the mattress. She looks up at me with red eyes, and tear stained cheeks. My eyes drop, and I suddenly feel ashamed.

I can't look at her, but I manage to mutter, "Are you okay?"

"I just want Risto so bad right now," she hiccups, and looks at me with a convincing fire in her eyes. I meet them shocked, and take a step away from her. "He was my brother, I never even knew him. And you _killed_ him!" she screams at me.

"I have a family, too," I yell right back. "I couldn't die in the Arena knowing that they were back home waiting for me to pull through. I made a promise to my partner that I would make it out. You can not make me feel sorry for you!"

"You killed my _brother_!" she screams, standing up with her teeth bared.

"Your 'brother' wanted this!" I step up to her, and we're practically nose to nose. "He had no life back in District Five… Not without Tori," I say more softly, and step back on to my heels. Every time any of my allies come into my head, so does my partner. I thought I could get her out, but then she showed me that it wasn't meant to be. She knew her destiny wasn't to be a victor that spent the rest of her life in a big house alone. No, she wanted to be free. I envy her in a way. My mom taught me the ways of the people who used to live in Panem… or, America as she called it. It had always fascinated her. So, I thought that she went to heaven along with Risto, Tori, and all of the other good people in the world. But I also knew of the other place, the place where I was going.

"You don't know _anything_!" she screams like a child.

"I know plenty," I huff, and walk out the door. She walks up to me, about to yell again but I slam the door. Lionel looks at me with sad eyes, and an Avox is standing on the other wall shaking. I realize that she's new. Once in a while that happens and you have to be gentle.

"I need a drink," I sigh, more to fill the air with some sort of noise, but the Avox girl responds anyway, and starts to hurry off the kitchen when Lionel speaks.

"Make that two."

**Holden Garth**

I don't know what the big deal is. The Games seem like a cakewalk, you just need to know where to step.

Of course, District One steps up to the stage in a in a gorgeous dress, but just like any other time I've seen her, she only glares at the camera. Her emerald green dress is a wrap around her chest, and flows down to the floor. Only one arm has a strap, which makes her look a little out of sorts, as if she thinks the whole dress is going to slide right off.

After the boy from District Two is done on stage, they call Brooke. I smile at her and stand up, and touch her shoulder lightly. She looks down at me with a shy smile, and blushes.

"You look absolutely beautiful," I whisper to her, and she brushes her hand across her light blue dress.

When Caesar asks her questions, she stutters and looks back at the tributes. Or me, whatever works. The crowd murmurs to each other, and the Avox at the door holding the box for any early sponsor money is left alone, unlike what happened with any of the other Career districts so far. I smile at my work, and head up to the stage myself.

**I put up the poll early this time, just in case anyone has any favorite tributes! It's just going to let me know who should go first! (I know that sounds cruel...) :D**


	10. Training Scores

**Ravenna Lawlee**

"That ring looks way too small for you," I laugh as Knox tries to pull the small silver ring off his finger. He grimaces at the thing, and just ends up stamping his foot, which makes the elevator rock slightly. I clamp onto the gold railing and blow my brown hair out of my eyes. "Dude, get a grip."

"Mel never told me this was _her_ ring!" he yells back, and looks out the window at the rising sun over the skyline. I never wanted to get up this early, but I guess training is crucial. I always practiced at home since Zewa died. I feel bad for leaving father at home, but I had to do this, for her.

"Well, why didn't you ask?" I scream at him. He was getting on my last nerve. Even though I've already killed him five times in my head, I know I won't be killing him in the arena. That's practically social suicide for you and your family.

Finally, we get underground, and Knox mutters, "I didn't think I had to." A colorful woman with purple hair, and bulging muscles comes to greet us. She gives us all the usual talk, no pushing, shoving, biting, slapping… killing. We all laugh at the last one, and Atala, the purpled haired woman, grins at us all and walks us down the line of stations. Districts One, Two, and Four go off to the bigger weapons while the rest of us look at edible plants, camouflage, and ropes.

Knox leads me over to archery, and hands me the bow with a smile. I shrug in response to his enthusiasm. I quickly nock the arrow onto the string and pull it back to my ear. I look at Knox once, surprised to see him in the same position. Knox makes a goofy grin, and I laugh at him. He looks back at the target and makes it in the middle circle. He turns to me, and rests his elbow on the bow with his eyebrows raised. I roll my eyes once, but miss. I cringe, but Knox keeps smiling, and puts his arm over my shoulder.

"Better luck next time," he shrugs, and continues to camouflage.

**Raven Cruz**

I watch quietly at the hand-to-hand combat area for my turn. I am terrified. I don't want to go up there; even seeing District Eleven go at it makes me uncomfortable. I rock back and forth on my heals, and wait for the instructor to blow his whistle.

Violet elbows me in the gut for looking so nervous. The boy pins his cousin, I think, and smiles at her and lets her go once the man calls them off. Violet then steps onto the mat and waits for me to join her. I shake my head, but her death grip on my shoulder forces me to follow her only moments later. We get some sort of weird helmet, and Violet slips it over her head while I hold mine at my side. I smile at her, and she raises her eyebrows.

"What?" she asks.

"Nothing," I smile. "Nothing at all."

"Whatever," she grunts, and charges before I can get the helmet on. We roll together until we almost reach the end of the mat. She has me pinned, but I bring up my feet and kick her chest so she's lying in front of me. I get to my feet quickly, and hold her down with my knees.

She frowns and hits my thighs in frustration. "You're a pretty terrible fighter," I laugh, and help her to her feet.

"Shut up," she huffs. She proceeds to walk off the mat and onto the next station. I follow her with my hands in my pockets and whistle silently. I certainly don't expect her to whip around and punch me square in the nose.

"I said shut up!" she screams. I try to watch her from the floor, dizzy, but her figure is in three different places at once. Her three bodies shake violently for a moment, and I try to reach out to her, to figure out what's wrong, but she bats my hand away.

She gets to her knees, and puts her hands on my shoulder. "If Matt asks, I didn't try anything," I get out, and my vision is only blurry now.

"He used to whistle that song," she cries.

"I'm sorry," I say. "I knew he whistled that song on his way to school. I shouldn't have… I knew you were close to him."

"It's not that I was close to him," she mumbles just as I can see again. "It's that he'll never know how I feel."

**The moment you've all been waiting for! **

**Training Scores! :D**

**(1-12)**

**District 1:**

**Male: Vengeance Quiseng (11)**

**Female: Kaleidoscope Darmody (10)**

**District 2:**

**Male: Phoenix Grail (9)**

**Female: Kaylee Darkblade (7)**

**District 3:**

**Male: Holden Garth (8)**

**Female: Brookelynn Beverley (5)**

**District 4:**

**Male: Neal Shaw (10)**

**Female: Rainey Assana (6)**

**District 5:**

**Male: Knox Keller (9)**

**Female:** **Ravenna Lawlee (10)**

**District 6:**

**Male: Simon Kaskoe (6)**

**Female: Mira Jonere (5)**

**District 7: **

**Male: Lionel Carter (8)**

**Female: Ashlyn Code (5)**

**District 8: **

**Male: Raven Cruz (6)**

**Female: Violet Blackthorne (8)**

**District 9:**

**Male: Connor Lizben (8)**

**Female: Luna Night (7)**

**District 10:**

**Male: Gabe Jondaseil (9)**

**Female: Kaya Gospic (5)**

**District 11:**

**Male: Riggolie Joromene (8)**

**Female: Transdessa Joromene (8)**

**District 12:**

**Male: Ian Drees (7)**

**Female: Basil Night (6)**

**Remember, strategies may be in place here if you thought your tribute deserved a higher score! Good luck to all of our tributes! The Arena starts next! I hope you all love it as much as I do! :D**


	11. Let the Games Begin!

**Luna Night**

I only see Connor once before we are shooed into the hovercraft that will take us to the arena. I try to concentrate on the scenery, but June won't shut up about her hair. I scowl, but she doesn't catch on. I bite my tongue in hopes of not making her angry. Suddenly, brick walls consume the blue sky, and we land soon after. The room is dark, but June leads me onto the launch room, and she says her good-bye's quickly before dressing me into long, tan pants with many pockets, and a red T-shirt. She smiles warmly, and turns me around to put my black hair into a sloppy bun, and clips my loose hair on top of my head.

"I would expect some rain," she whispers, and slips a darker brown coat over my shoulders, and finally helps me into tall boots that lace up all the way to my knees.

"Why?"

"The material in these clothes are water-proof, except for the pants for some reason…" she trails off, and places a silver chain into my hands. I lift it up and let the silver 'nine' hang in front of my face.

"Prepare for launch," a cold woman says from a small speaker on the wall next to us. June folds me into a hug, and makes me promise to come back so we could spend some quality girl time in the Capitol. I roll my eyes, but as if June could read my mind, she places a finger over my mouth and helps me on to the silver plate as the glass tube surrounds me.

The plate begins to rise, and I crouch down to watch June leave. Then, suddenly, I miss her. I don't know why, but my stylist suddenly becomes someone to worry about. All of the 'what ifs' are running through my head as my head reaches ground level. The only thing around me is fog. Thick, blinding fog.

My first instinct is to yell and see if anyone is around me, but that suddenly seems like a horrible idea.

The gong hasn't sounded, but I look below me at more fog. How are we supposed to fight to the death if there isn't any ground? Then, I see a rope a couple feet away from my plate, and silently feel anticipation build up in my chest.

The gong sounds, and I leap out in front of me. The rope is easy to grab, but another pair of hands are on the rope as well, I reach out and try to bat the person away, but they kick with their feet making is difficult to hang on. I slide down the rope, and feel my hands burning as I go. I look up to see a girl with wavy blonde hair make her way up the rope until she's gone. I have to guess that it's the girl from four, since most of the competitors have dark hair. I follow close behind her, and suddenly she's gone. When I reach up to grab more rope, I feel wood beneath my hands instead.

I have to heave myself up, but feel a strong pair of hand holding up my arms. I smile when Connor's face comes into view, but I have to stare in awe at the arena. Up here, the fog isn't as noticeable, and what looks like tree houses and wooden platforms surround enormous trees. Different ropes, bridges, and slides lead to different places, while others lead to no where. Connor snaps me out of my daydreams, and rushes me over to the cornucopia that is in the middle of the arena on a giant platform with no walls or fences.

Connor grabs two backpacks fights off the boy from District Ten, but the skinny boy only falls onto his back and is soon helped by the girl I met in ropes, Kaya.

Everything is moving to fast, and the Careers are joining together in their usual pack. Vengeance Quiseng rushes through the crowd along Neal Shaw as they slash away at tributes with their swords and tridents. I recognize the pregnant girl from District Six, and cringe as Neal pierces his trident through her leg. She chokes, but her brother is next to her, and carries her off and up one of the many staircases with one backpack, and a knife.

I feel my stomach flip and I can't take this all in. I fall against Connor's chest, and he puts a hand on my shoulder before the arena goes black.

**Simon Kaskoe**

I almost drop Mira right on the platform when I get up the stairs. She's pregnant and heavy, and I'm only twelve. I can't take all of this. We're a good distance away from the Cornucopia, so we should be safe… for now. Mira groans from the floor, and I kneel beside her, trying to figure out what's wrong.

She holds her stomach, and I frown. "No, you can't do this now," I try to reason with her even though I know that it's nothing that she can control. She doesn't answer me, and shakes her head violently before letting out a blood-curdling scream. I cover her mouth, but gasp when a clear liquid puddles around her.

My breathing becomes heavy, and Mira grasps my hand until it's purple. "It's coming!" she screams at me. He's coming? Now? I know that even though I'm panicking, the Capitol citizens must be eating this up.

Suddenly, Mira's face becomes beet red and a vain juts out on her hairline. I close my eyes and think about happy things. This wasn't supposed to happen. Rickard was supposed to be with her, not me!

A cry rings through the arena, but it isn't coming from Mira. I look between her legs, and cry out when a tiny form is lying there on the cold, dirty ground. Mira sighs, but I don't hand her the baby. I can't. If she's going to be an overwhelmed mother now, it might be too dangerous.

As if on cue, the District Three boy jumps from his perch on the tree. He has his knife ready, and I'm trying my hardest to guard Mira and Mister No-name in my arms. Death comes quickly for my sister.

Holden practically throws me out of the way, but I flip onto my back so my nephew is still grasping onto the front of my shirt. His blue eyes are shaking with fear, and I watch silently as Mira is pushed off the edge. Holden turns to get me, but I'm long gone.

I don't want to believe that Mira only lasted eight hours in the arena, but it's true. I know one thing is for sure though; one boy from District Six will make it out.

**Cinna Welkins**

Watching the games with Portia is just painful. The young woman from District Six delivers her baby in record time, and Portia grabs her own abdomen in distress. I don't understand her. It's not like our baby is going to be born the arena - there wouldn't even be time before next year.

"What's wrong?" I ask her silently, but she just leans her head against my shoulder and starts to cry. I shake my head, and sum it up to hormones. I face her, and kiss her forehead before telling her I have to go to work. Unlike the Districts, the Capitol doesn't have to watch the games at all hours, so work isn't supposed to be missed. I asked Portia to come with me to the stands to meet Ledsia and her family.

Sure, I had no idea how we could get past Darren, but it could still be nice to see my sister again.

I trudge slowly to the subway, and take the high-speed train to the upper class section of the Capitol.

This is where hotels are set up for Victors, and the President, assistants, and Gamemakers live. Basically, every person who is involved in the Games resides in the hills of the city. Right in the middle is the working class, or me. The design department is a large building with floor to ceiling windows. Every worker can be seen from the street, and their all leaning over their desks with coffee in hand.

I make my way up to reception desk and show my card, but instead of making my way to the elevator, the woman behind the desk hands me a card from the boss requesting my presence in his office. I sigh, and take the stairs.

The boss is sitting in his red leather chair, and running his fingers through his bleached hair. I knock silently on the open door, and let myself in. He waits until I sit down in one of the wooden chairs in front of his desk before he speaks.

"Cinna, my boy," he starts in his gruff voice. "I've been going over your promotion application," he grins.

"I just have one question."

"What's that?"

"Why would you want to be a stylist for District _Twelve_?"

"I don't know, sir. I guess it just suits me."

"Well, I am happy to say that you got the job! You'll be designing for the Seventy-fourth Annual Hunger Games. That's when Hunda's retirement comes into place."

"Who will be assisting me?" I ask, and I can't help but smile at the turn of events of the day.

"Kathyn Jenkins," he smiles. I scrunch my nose at the name. Kathyn was one of the most awful women I have ever met. She stinks, and her designs always seem to include fur in some way.

"Can I make a request?" I ask him, as he leans forward in his chair.

"Why yes. Please," he urges. He must think that she's as horrible as I do.

"Portia Johnson?"

**Basil Night**

I lie under the stars with Ian and dream of home. The clouds had vanished above us, just not so much below us. He sighs, and sits up, and I watch him silently. His dark hair is messy, and his jacket is already ripped at the sleeve from when Neal ran through the crowd with his trident. A shiver runs down my spine even thinking about the careers. Ian slips his jacket off and puts it around my shoulders with a satisfied grin.

"What was that for?" I smile at him.

"You looked cold," he said. Ian suddenly frowned and looked away from me. I frowned as well and tried to look at him, but he merely rolled over onto his side to go to sleep. "You know," he started and turned to look at me again. "I don't think I can do this. There are just too many variables. Nothing is right about our alliance."

I can practically hear Haymitch growling from the Capitol. "Why?" I gasp, and hold onto his arm to keep him down. I just don't understand, what was so wrong about all of this?

"Just like I said. I don't want to be responsible for anyone right now, I do enough of that at home. Who knows what kind of trouble they're in while my dad is being a complete waste of space. I mean, you know, all he does is drink, and-"

"Enough!" I yell, I get up and stuff a backpack full with things I though I might need. Ian doesn't complain and lets me leave quietly. I make it up to a high perch in one of the trees and as watch Ian gather his own things before heading off into the darkness. I see him touch his necklace once before disappearing completely.

I hate feeling like a stupid teenage girl, crossing her arms and muttering to myself on how stupid he's being. I barely notice the thud of feet touching the branch before it's too late.

The girl from District One, the one that never smiles, is standing in front of me with her teeth bared. I hear low whispers all around me and know that the other Careers are near by.

She doesn't waist any time pinning me against the tree to finish me off. I knew it was hopeless, but I screamed anyway. One growled, and brought her knife closer and closer to my face as I yelled for help. Suddenly, another cry split the air and I silently watch Rainey Assana clutch onto a lower branch, barely escaping death. For now.

I take this moment to sink my teeth into One's wrist, but when she cries out in pain, her partner is on me, and with a twist of my neck, I am gone.

**Rainey Assana**

I watched with teary eyes as Basil was pushed of the branch, and headed off to her death. I looked up at my partners, and waited for help, but all five of them left without a word. I almost started to cry, and my grip on the wood gave me splinters, and I couldn't hang on for much longer.

I spotted a small dot of a platform below me, and went for it. The moment my hands left the branch, I was screaming. The night air gave me goose bumps, and the adrenaline pumping through me made my head spin.

I closed my eyes tight, and waited to be flattened against the wood, but I wasn't. Instead, I felt strong arms holding me. I opened my eyes, and looked into the handsome face of Holden, from District Three. He was even more stunning in the moonlight.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he coos, and leads me to the edge in his arms. But, instead of throwing me off the edge, he sits down, and runs his fingers through my hair.

"You know, I thought I'd go down this slide, see what's down there," he says, pointing to a twisting red slide in front of us.

"But you have no idea what's down there," I try to reason.

"That's what they want you to think," he says, kissing my neck lightly. "They want you to be afraid. Your not afraid, are you Rainey?"

"No," I whisper, and he smiles.

"Here," he leads me over to the slide, sits me down, gets behinds me. I latch onto his legs and prepare to plummet. "On the count of three! One, two… Oh great. I forgot my jacket!"

"Oh," I say, suddenly noticing that his jacket was on the floor across the platform.

"I'll just go and get that," he smiles. "You go ahead, I'll catch up."

"You sure?" I say with a frown. "I'll wait for you!"

"No!" he says, and pushes me down the chute, a red glowing fire waiting for me at the bottom.

**I am going by the poll so please dont get mad at me! :)**


	12. Everyone's Favorite Seam Boy

**Felix Welkins**

With the games going on, the shop is even quieter. Jamie is running a mop over the floor in the storeroom, and Andy is throwing a stale piece of bread up in the air and clapping once before catching it again. Every time he succeeds, he makes it even more difficult. I can't believe how these children are acting, I mean, back in the Capitol… I force myself not to think about that place. All the memories of Ledsia and Cinna flood back to me. What are their lives like now? Are they happy? Are they safe? I'll never know the answer because I'm never going back there. I can't hurt anyone anymore. I won't go there to live life out of reality. I was meant to be were I am today.

There's a tap on the glass door, and I answer it when the Mellark boys make no attempt at moving. A boy about fourteen or so with dark hair stands there politely and smiles. I smirk back and let him in. Mrs. Mellark would kill me if she knew I let in someone from the Seam.

I don't like stereotyping, but it's obvious. The dark hair, grey eyes, and coal dust covering every inch of him. Jamie sighs when he trails it in after him, and follows the young boy with his mop.

"What can I do for you?" I ask him in the most cheerful tone I can manage after just thinking about my family. The Seam boy looks at me a little strangely, but shrugs and makes his request.

"I was wondering if Peeta was home. He told me at school he needed help making a tree house," the boy smiles and I smile too. Not because Peeta is finally making some real friends, but because he is able to see past money and looks unlike the rest of his family. _I _can't even see anyone that isn't rich, and blonde.

"I think he's out with his father," I say. I can see the boy's face drop in disappointment. His smile turns into a hard line, and he scratches his scalp.

"I guess I should go then," he says, and turns around just as the other two Mellark men march through the door. Mr. Mellark takes one look at the Seam boy and raises his eyebrows before heading off into the kitchen.

Peeta set down the bag of flour next to the door and flexes his shoulders. That thing must be a hundred pounds, but Peeta is strong. "Did Undersee see you with that flour?" Jamie asks him.

Peeta's eyes become angry, and he stares at his brother for a long time before answering.

"Yeah. I saw her in town with her mother," he says, trying to keep his voice steady. I'm surprised that Mrs. Undersee is moving around these days. Every time I made a delivery to the mayor's house, he would always explain how terrible his wife's headaches were.

Sometimes I wonder if it's because of the loss of Maysilee Donner, her twin, or if it's something more complicated.

I frown and look at Peeta more closely. "Was Kat there?" I say, shortening her name in hopes of not embarrassing him. He scowls, and shakes his head. I hand Jamie a coin, and bury my face in my hands. I hear Peeta lead the Seam boy to the back and show him the apple tree. The boy sounds pleased with the location, but I don't see how they're going to get the materials. This seems to be a problem neither boy thought about either.

"Do you have anything to use at you house?" Peeta asks.

"Peeta, I don't _have_ anything at all at my house. Do you know anyone who has wood or nails, or something like that?" the boy asks.

"Well, Jill's father has some old decking. And the Goat Man might be making a new cart, so maybe we can ask them."

The matter is obviously agreed on, and they both run into the square. I smile as Ruth enters the shop. I haven't seen her since her husband died, and I can tell that she's running low on company. Course she would never come in to buy bread, I think the Everdeen family is one of the worst off just because they have no provider at the moment.

"Think you can spare anything today, Felix?" she asks. Jamie and Andy look at me, and I shake my head. Anything that isn't sold in the shop goes to the family. On a few occasions, I've slipped her a roll or two, but I got a stern lecture from Mr. Everdeen to mind my own business. Trust me, I wasn't trying anything, it was just nice to have a friend like Ruth.

"Katniss came home the other day with two whole loaves, now you have nothing!" she yells.

I shake my head, and rub my eyes. Peeta's making my life more and more complicated by the second.

"That was the Mellark charity," she steps back on her heels, confused. "And he's gone at the moment, but I'll be sure to let him know that you family is in need."

"Stop making jokes, Felix!" she yells, placing her hands on the counter. "I have a family at home, starving!"

"That hasn't seemed to matter since Phoenix died!" I yell right back, sick of her attitude. I can't believe she thinks that I can just give her whatever she wants. Mr. Mellark shoves me out of the way and places a couple loaves on the counter. He hands Andy and Jamie one, but 'accidently' knocks the last one to the floor.

"Oops."

Ruth gives me one last look of hatred before hurrying out the door with her bread. Mr. Mellark stalks off in the other direction, and I'm left confused, and a little hurt for that matter.

"He used to love her," Jamie says, and leaves to go outside, while Peeta and his new friend come into the shop with their arms loaded with wood, and hammers. The nails are already in the wood. I'm sure the Goat Man made the boys take apart that cart plank by plank.

"Great, now our tree house is going to smell like goat shi-"

"What's your friend's name, Peeta?" I interrupt, trying to stop the Seam kid from soiling Peeta's head with foul language. Peeta smiles at his friend and puts the wood on the floor. The other boy follows suit.

"Felix, I'd like you to meet Gale Hawthorne."

**~I just have this gut feeling that there had to be a more complicated reason that the boys hate each other so much besides that fact that their just competitive. Anyways, I hope to hear from my 2 wonderful gamemakers soon! :)**

**And someone asked me about who Felix is. No, he isn't a Capitole Peacekeeper. He ran away from the Capitol when he was around 16. Hope this helps any of you new readers! **


	13. A Baby Boy

**Kaleidoscope Darmody**

The pack moved quietly through the arena all night long. We made camp in one of the high platforms looking over the cornucopia. Some ropes lead to the cornucopia, and there were three walls, and a roof. The wood is clearly old, but sturdy all the same. If something did happen, though, there are enough escape routes for the group. We lost Rainey last night, but Neal doesn't seem to be bothered by the loss of his partner. I silently wonder if he pushed her out of the tree himself. But, I'm still disappointed with the hunt. We only got one, and she was from District Twelve, so that's not saying much.

Much of the group goes to sleep once our things are placed neatly throughout the camp. Neal even curls up with his trident when he goes to sleep. District Two is an odd bunch, but they sleep next to each other in sleeping bags. That leaves Ven and I. We silently agreed to keep watch, but the hours drag on slowly, and nothing is happening. The arena has an eerie silence to it.

"I need some air," I say politely to Ven and stand up.

"We're already outside… almost," he argues. Ven never just lets me do what I want, and that's what I hate about him. Any other partner would have let me leave all while silently praying that I would get myself killed so they didn't have to do the messy work.

"Almost," I repeat, and step through the door, even though it's barely hanging on its hinges. I walk up the bridge, and keep my knife ready. No idiot would dare come across my path. They would be dead in a minute. There's the sound of deep breathing behind me, and I don't wonder who it is before I have Ven pinned, and my knife ready.

"What was that for?" Ven asks, struggling to get up. I shake my head, and continue to storm off with my arms crossed. Sure, there wasn't anyone to guard the other careers, but did I honestly care? No. If they get themselves killed, it's not my concern. My only worry is for Vengeance. I don't understand it, but he seems like someone who could get himself hurt. I'm not supposed to make connections in the arena, at least that's what my father told me. I'll only end up hurt. I shake my head, but he still comes to my side now that he's been noticed. There's a low gurgling noise, and Ven stops in his tracks. I don't understand what could be making the sounds. There's also a shushing thrown in there, but I doubt whoever is there knows that Ven and I are anywhere around. First lesson in training: be light on your feet.

Ven signals to the right of us, and take a few steps towards the tree, and peers around it. He signals me over to him. I look around and see a small boy and something bouncing in his arms. I take in a shuddering breath and swear to myself that I won't let this be on my conscience. I can't kill a baby. Ven takes a step forward, and I put a hand on his shoulder. He looks confused, but I shake my head, and the head of the baby comes over the boy's shoulder. He reaches his arms towards us and makes a strange toothless smile. Ven sighs and leans in close to me.

"Let's just take out the tribute. He's our main concern. The baby isn't the tribute, we can find a way to…" he trails off, and takes another step forward. The boy still doesn't hear us. I wait by the tree. I just can't look at what's unfolding in front of me. This was supposed to be strictly business. Then why am I becoming so attached?

The boy flinches when Ven puts his big arm around the small boy's neck. "We'll take care of him," Ven whispers, and I barely catch it. How are we going to take care of a baby? What will the pack think? Phoenix, the heartless boy that he is, will probably kill it while we're asleep. The realization is like a kick in the stomach. We aren't going back to the pack. They'll probably be hunting us by morning for betraying them.

Ven has a loose enough grip on the kid that he turns around to look at him. I give him a small smile, something I haven't done in years. He nods to me, and I nod back. He holds the baby out to me, and unzips his jacket. He hands me the clothing and kisses the baby one last time. The child is like warmth in my arms. He's so light, and fragile.

"I knew I wouldn't make it out of here alive," he confesses, and closes his eyes before Ven breaks his neck. He falls to the ground and the cannon fires. We remove his shirt as well, just in case, and wrap it around the child's bottom. Ven looks worried, but I smile at him. This thing just gets easier and easier. But it's a smile for Ven, not the Capitol.

We walk quietly through the arena and, just as before, no one is around. I guess the place is bigger than I thought. We make it to a platform, which has to be higher up than all the others. It's much like our career camp. Three walls surround us and there's a roof, though it's smaller. Outside there's a small amount of water running down the tree. I can't even see the top of these things since they're so huge. But, the water is cold, and clean, plus Ven didn't die when he tried it, so I trust it.

Our site is also perfect in many other ways. It's far enough away that if the baby cries, it'll be hard for anyone to hear in a mile radius. I also feel a weird sense of home up in the trees with Vengeance. I don't understand it, but here I can smile and laugh without my family hovering over me like the rich kid I was back in the place I was born.

"I'm going," Ven says suddenly. I look up at him, and look worried. Why is he going out? The pack might be on our trail as we speak, and he wants to risk everything?

"Why?"

"The pack will still be asleep, and we can't stay up here with nothing. I have to raid them of what they have. I have to if we're going to enjoy our time in the arena," he smiles at the last line and crouches down in front of me. "I need to keep you and him safe."

"You act like we're your family," I point out. He looks up at the ceiling and sighs.

"For now, you are my family," he whispers, and leans in close to kiss my cheeks. I can't help a deep blush coming over my cheeks. I don't even think about the fact that either one of us, or both of us will die. He leaves on that note, and I look at the baby with a smile. He reaches his chubby arms out to me, and touches my cheeks, lips, and eyes. He sighs, and smiles his toothless smile again before falling asleep.

**My mind is a little blank right now, so I just decided to post this now and worry about other characters later. I hope to get to Ledsia, and District Eleven next :)**


	14. Running Away, and Being Left Behind

**Ledsia Alieer**

"Where are you going?" Darren's breathes from behind me. I cross my arms before looking at him and raise an eyebrow. "Are you going to tell me?" I close the door, and let him pin me against the door to look into my eyes.

"Not anywhere that you need to know," I bark back at him. He smirks, and takes a step back. "I'm going by my mother's house to pick up some things," I say, all courage leaving me. He smiles and collects Caden in his arms when he pads down the hallway to see me off. After seeing his father differently, Caden struggles to get away from Darren, but he has a death grip on the poor boy. If he gets bruises, he won't be able to see his friends or anyone else for that matter.

"Be sure to come back," he says, pushing me out the door. Tears well up in Caden's eyes, and I force myself not to snatch him away from his father. I walk down the hallway alone and catch a cab at the bottom of the building. The driver is pleasant, but I'm not paying any attention.

My mother is in the kitchen of her apartment just like she always is. She smiles when I answer the door and answers the phone when it rings. She reassures Darren that I arrived safely, and that I'm picking up some things. My mother is a wonderful liar.

"What's the real reason you came here, Ledsia?" she asks in her soft voice. I swallow back tears before I answer. I can't take the abuse of my husband anymore. There's a point when it all becomes too much. And it's not just for myself either; I need to protect my children. I saw the look in Caden's eyes when I left. He doesn't deserve to grow up like this. Even Cinna had a better upbringing. He was dealt with by his father, but not because his father wanted to, but because he thought he was bringing discipline to his son.

"I need to leave the Capitol," I tell my mother. Her face becomes hard, and worry lines appear on her forehead. She opens her mouth to speak, but I immediately cut her off.

"There's nothing to discuss. I need to get my children away from my husband and find somewhere…" I trail off, not really thinking about where I would run to. In every fantasy, I found Felix, and he would meet his nephew and nieces. Maybe he had some sort of work so he could help us out until I found something to do myself. Darren never let me hold a job, but I'm sure I could do something.

"You don't know where Felix is," she chokes when she mentions his name. She always thought highly of her oldest child, but now it was easier to see than ever. I didn't know him for long when he had short brown hair and a clean face. But I don't think that's why he changed. I think he changed because he realized what is cruel in the world, but maybe he thought he was too…

"You're brother was one of a kind. All of my children are. But I don't know where he could have gone. He could be dead for all we know!" she breaks out into sobs, and puts her head in her hands. "The peacekeepers could have shot him down. The animals out there could have attacked him. He could have made it to a district, but starved because he had no money. He could have-"

"Stop mother," I croak in a horse voice, trying to hold back tears myself. "Come with me. Come with me and my children to find him!"

"Ledsia," she shakes her head, containing herself. "I have another son too."

My shoulders drop, and I can't believe how guilty I feel. Not only did my older brother see something in the Capitol that no one else did, but my mother saw it too. I remember when I was small, before Cinna was born; my mother was the most beautiful person I knew. Her hair was a rich auburn color. She had tanned skin and freckles across the bridge of her nose. My father, back then, wasn't quite as natural, but enough where it was normal. He had fiery red hair, and light blue eyes that held so much knowledge. Maybe the way their children think about the world is genetic. Maybe they were like me, just trying to get out.

I've heard the story of my parents millions of times, from millions of people. He was a dashing surgeon in the hospital on the upper part of the Capitol. People from all over the city would come just to see him. Even President Snow had come once or twice. My mother, on the other hand, was still on school, studying to be a teacher. There was never much use for them with the Capitol's advances, but there was always need for them in the Districts.

She wanted to go out and educate. Not about coal, power plants, or even how to fish in District Four. No, she wanted to go out in the world and teach some of the old ways, like writing, or algebra; she even considered biology. Her dreams were forgotten when she met my father, though. They had a unique sort of love. Usually, people married those for money, or fame, but all my mother wanted was him. They got married in a small church near the poorer part of the Capitol. The poorer side isn't dirty or polluted like most would think. The people in that side are the ones that don't actively participate with the rest of the city. They become local farmers with large gardens or traders instead of designers like Cinna. Well, Felix came along quickly after they were married. After two years, I became their 'little accident' as family friends would call me. When I was five, my father got promoted to be the head of the Capitol Hospital. It was something we all saw coming, he was an amazing doctor. But, with the promotion, came public appearances. He was forced to become what he is today. A green haired man, with pale skin and tight features, my mother also became different. All signs of her previous beauty is gone. Work piled up, and my father became angry at everything, including my brother who was only one year old when the transformation took place. Felix changed after a couple of years fighting it.

I want, right now, at this moment, to only remember her as my happy mom with her three children and wonderful husband. I look at her now, with tears blurring my vision, and that is the woman I see beneath all the surgery and make-up. A tight, twisting pain reaches my heart, and I fold her into a hug. She hugs me back, and whispers in a soft, caring voice.

"Goodbye, my Ledsia. My beautiful, sweet Ledsia. I shall never forget you."

**Jailee Alieer**

"Mom?" I hear Lena whisper from the other side of the room. I sit up, and rub my eyes with the palms of my hands. The clock reads 3:27 am. I grumble to myself, and watch my mother pluck Lena out of bed, even though she's too old to be carried. Lena doesn't mind the attention. She's always such a baby.

I take a deep breath before following them out of the room. I think she whispers to Lena that we're playing the silent game, and I smile when she nods her head. She then leaves Lena on the stairs and hurries down the hall to Caden's room. I watch her go, but can't help but cross my arms. We're really going to try and get out of here _again_? Even if we make it to the car with all of our things, dad is still going to follow us to grandma's house. He always does; it never fails.

"Jailee," my mom breathes in a long sigh. I turn to her, and with the hand that isn't holding Caden is on her chest. I look at the ground and try to figure out what's happening. The realization is like a slap on the face. Mom didn't wake me up, and now she's surprised to see me. She was leaving me.

"Oh," I whisper, still intent on staring at me toes. "I thought I heard voices. I'm going back to bed," tears start falling faster than I can escape my mother. She doesn't stop me. I'm sobbing by the time I enter our room… well, my room now that they're leaving. I don't understand why my mother is leaving me behind. I mean, we've had our differences, but not enough for this to happen. The front door opening and the shutting is barely audible. Watching them go is heart breaking. I creep out of bed and up the stairs to my parent's room. Dad is on his stomach, snoring softly.

"Dad?" I whisper in his ear. He opens an eye, and rolls over onto his back.

He keeps his eyes shut, but murmurs back. "Jailee?"

"I feel so alone," I visibly shake, and start to cry all over again. He sits up and opens his eyes, takes my shoulders in his hands, and tries to figure out what's wrong. I've never seen my father so gentle.

"What happened?" he asks. Now here's the hard part. I can't tell him that the rest of his family is gone, and his wife left me behind for who knows what reason.

"I had a nightmare," I shiver.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," I finally say. I actually have no idea why I came up here. Maybe, deep down, I wanted my father to go after them because I thought that would fix things. They would be back and next time they left I would be part of the plan.

I tip toe back downstairs, and climb into bed even though I'm not tired anymore. I turn on the radio, but it's all about the Games. What they were wearing or how they're holding up. I ignore that when a weird tingling sensation runs up and down my arm. I change the frequency on the radio, as it gets stronger and more painful. I rush to the kitchen, but it won't stop. _Am I dying?_

I look at the knife on the counter and grab it. I must be out of my mind. I stab my own arm and scream on the inside. I won't wake up father. He'll realize that everyone has run. A small cloud of smoke emerges from the gash. I look at the thing, bewildered, and remove the knife only to discover a tiny, silver, tracker on the end of the blade.

**Writing District Elevan was is like running full on towards a brick wall, and smashing every single one of your teeth right after getting your braces off... Okay... Maybe I'm being a tad dramatic :) But, the point is, it's hard to right them... I don't really know why... But don't worry, I will be done with it next time, I SWEAR! :D**


	15. The Career Pack Dies

**Gabe Jondaseil**

I lost Kaya sometime yesterday, I think. I looked for her for more than an hour, but nothing turned up. This was the Hunger Games after all; I can't make myself too attached to my partner if I want to get out of here. Alive, that is. There's a creaking noise above me, and the sound of running feet over the bridge. I smile, jump to the rope in front of me, and climb up. The back of the boy's head is in view, but he's running full speed to the Career's camp. I shake my head.

"I ain't goin' in there," I mutter to myself. There's another set of feet behind me, and I silently wonder why every one's out today. What happened to being an eerie, quiet arena? I recognize the slim District Eleven girl, and her eyes go wide, but she still reaches for the knife in her belt. I raise the bow that was on my back clumsily. I'm no good with it, but I figure if I don't aim for her, I'm get her. She has her knife in her hand and is about to run from me, when I'm hit on the head with a bag. My neck hurts, but I'm not out. I watch from the ground as District One runs past us, and I realize he was the same boy that came in.

As he runs past me, he grabs the arrow off the bow, runs to the girl, and hits her leg even, though he could have easily killed her.

"Look at me!" he waives his arms towards the sky. I can feel the cameras on us. I get to my feet and lunge towards District Eleven. I could never take One. But, he wants to take me. He kicks me off of her and turns around only to find her cousin. He smirks before punching him square in the face. The boy stumbles back a few feet and almost looses his balance.

District One pulls a long sword out of his big bag and points it at District Eleven. He feels for some sort of weapon, but doesn't have one. I close my eyes so I don't have to witness his fate.

"Transdessa!" he screams before the cannon fires. I wince at the sound and open my eyes to see him come storming at me. The girl limps away quickly up a tree before she's discovered, but I know she's upset.

"I'm warning you," I say to him with as much courage as I can muster. Dawn is coming, and the rest of the careers are still asleep. If I woke them up, then we'd both be dead.

"You wouldn't," he pants. I nod my head, and put on the most wicked smile I can manage. The door creeks open, and I look at a wide-eyed at Phoenix Grail. He's like a mountain of a boy. He looks a little stunned, but grabs a short sword anyway.

I turn around quickly and lodge an arrow into his stomach before rushing past him and into the camp. The rest of the pack is still asleep, but District Four looks up and screams for the others to rise, even though the girl from District Two is the only one left. I jump towards the rope and swing to the Cornucopia. I run until I can't breathe anymore and turn around and smile.

I am all alone.

**Kaylee Darkblade**

The District Ten boy gets out of the camp without a scratch, and Neal returns soon after. We open the door, and the Phoenix is lying there in an ugly pool of blood. Ven is looking at us with another arrow in his hand and a sword in the other. There's a bag on the ground, he's panting, and I know the fight has been long. Why didn't Phoenix wake us? Phoenix's cool blue eyes look startled at first until Neal jabs his trident through his skull. The cannon fires, and I look at Neal with disgust.

"How can you do that to your own ally?" I scream at him.

"The same way he did," Neal points to Ven. Ven takes steps back and takes hold of his bag before running off. Neither of us makes any move to follow him. "So, the pack is breaking up early," Neal mutters with his head down.

Neal pushes his trident into my leg when I wasn't looking and smirks when I scream out in pain. "There's a parting gift for you darling," he says, and makes his way out of the camp with his beloved trident over his shoulder.

**Knox Keller**

The camp I made is small, and no one is around. I always planned on finding Ravenna and making her my ally, but for all I know she could be dying right now, and I have no way to help her. Well, she doesn't like me anyway, so what does it matter?

I raise my bow when something nocks up against the small tree in the center of the platform next to me. I take a couple steps forward and immediately recognize the, oh so handsome, Holden Garth. I don't know what girls see in him. I can only see the top of a blonde head because a poor kid is consumed in Holden's grasp.

Holden looks at me, then the arrow, and clenches his jaw. The boy falls limply to the ground from lack of air for too long. I automatically recognize him from District Seven, and remember what Maybala told me about his alliance with this District and how they were all too willing to trust. Aimon ended up killing him. I shake my head desperately from thinking about myself in Risto Code's situation.

Holden comes at me and I shoot, but miss him and hit his shoulder. Well, the ladies were right about one thing; he's all muscle. The arrow practically bounces off of him, and he doesn't even flinch. How did a computer nerd turn into this?

Holden has me pinned, and my bow and arrow are useless. My only hope would be is District Seven got up to save me, but by the look on his blue face, he's as dead as me. I try kicking at Holden. Anywhere - the stomach, groin, legs, but he won't budge. He grabs at my neck, and I try and sputter, desperately trying to get air into my lungs, but nothing is working.

I'm dead. I am so dead.

The pain released, and the cannon fires. But it isn't mine.

**~Writers block is gone! Haha, hope you enoyed ! :D**


	16. Remember

**Transdessa Joromene**

It feels like only moments ago that he was telling me that he needed me to come home. That he volunteered to save me so that I could be the one to live a long, healthy life. I wish he were here to tell me again. Over, and over, and over again. But he isn't. He's… the tears fall faster than my mind can think. He's gone - on a long vacation that he'll never come back from. That's what my auntie told me when mom and dad died. I feel like I'm five all over again. I just wish there were a teddy bear to clutch on to here, in the arena.

The air around me is sickening. A chill runs down my spine, but I only blink away the tears when my whole body is begging me to let out all emotion. To hit, and kick something, to scream, to sob until my stomach hurts, but I can't. Something inside me wishes that Gabe would've attacked the career instead of staying put like a normal person. Then, I could have gotten away without Riggolie having to come and save me. My heart aches. This wasn't the small child's fault. This was all my fault. He died because of _me_!

_The summer day is rolling by quickly, just like all the rest. The kids are waiting inside, and Riggolie is playing catch with Nicovite, who is only three. He wobbles when the ball reaches his hands, and falls. The little boy makes a face at Riggolie, expecting his brother to come and pick him up, to comfort him even, but he doesn't. I sit up in my seat on the porch, and watch my cousin wait for the baby to get himself up. Nic looks as hurt as someone his age can be and tries to get up with his butt sticking straight up in the air. Raloise appears in the doorway, and frowns at the boys. I put a hand on her shoulder when she is about to go retrieve Nic herself while Riggolie's doing nothing to save him._

_Nic's knees give out, and he falls head first into the street. Nic bursts into tears, frantically rubbing his owie, revealing a bloody scab on his forehead. Riggolie waits again, and this time I can't hold Raloise back from taking her brother. _

"_You're awful!" she screams, and rushes Nic back inside, still bawling. Riggolie shakes his head and looks at me with narrowed eyes from the sun. He's already getting a deep tan._

"_He'll never learn if he keeps getting saved," he sighs, and turns back towards the fields._

"_He's just a baby," I point out, but I don't look at him when he turns back to me. He was mean to little Nic. He has the rest of his life to make up for learning to pick himself up. He only just learned how to walk after all. A late bloomer, Uncle Juane always said. _

"_You're just a girl," Riggolie says. But, unlike most boys in the district, teasing me, he doesn't spit at my feet. He only meets my stare with sad eyes. "It's your choice if you want to be more than that."_

The memory of my cousin fills me with pride. The wonderful, wise, kind, polite Riggolie was and will always be my cousin. He's part of me and always will be. There are too many moments in my childhood that make him seem like the hero, but I think this one time, seven years ago, was the only time I was brought to his level. I am not just the little girl from District Eleven with no parents, and one knife in the arena. I'm the girl who is related to Riggolie Joromene. And I will make him proud… if it kills me.

I wake up from an awful night of sleep. I take one look at the arrow in my leg and wish, once again, that Riggolie was here to pull it out. But, he would want me to get over myself and take the bull by the horns. I put both hands around the arrow and yank it up.

I barely notice that the ear splitting scream is coming from me. Little ol' me. I almost shriek again when I see a pair of hazel eyes looking back at me. There's a weird glint in them that make me feel like they're laughing at me.

I take in the rest of the boy, and see his bony body and ruffled black hair. He's hanging upside down which makes me crack a small smile. Gabe is hanging in front of me, with a little smile on his face. Even though he's hanging from a sturdy branch, he has his arms crossed.

"I believe that's mine," he says, and holds out his hand. I hand him the arrow, and almost laugh at his child like behavior. Who on Earth would want a bloody arrow back? Gabe, apparently. He does a sort of summersault, which makes him able to stand on the branch in front of me. The movement makes the branch shake. "I'm sorry!" he blurts out, then suddenly turns two shades of red, and looks away from me.

"For what?" I ask, even though I'm certain I know what he's talking about.

"For everything. I know you were close to your partner, and I was too scared to save either of you. And look at what that jerk did! He was pissed at _me_ enough to get _your_ leg!" he sighs, and tries to compose himself, but even after a death he can't seem to stop smiling. "I don't know why I even picked the stupid arrow up in the first place…"

"Because there's a million of them, and hardly anybody's good enough to use one."

"Good point," he nods. "Anyways, I'm just… sorry."

"Don't be," I smile, and gather the skinny boy up into a hug. I don't know why I did, but it feels nice not to be alone anymore. The cannon fires and we jerk away from each other. "I wonder who it was."

"We'll find out soon enough."

**~For LoveTheBoyWithTheBread because I felt really bad about Riggolie... Do you think this is enough? O.O**

**Anyways, as for the rest of you people, I heard that one person wanted a romance, but is there anyone else? I'm trying to hold back unlike last time... :)**


	17. Zewa

**Ravenna Lawlee**

I pull the knife out of Holden's back and look at Knox with a smirk. He doesn't look incredibly happy to see me. He kicks Holden off of him, and when he gets to his feet, he kicks him again in the face for good measure. The boy from District Three gets rolled a few times and kicked several more. I wait until Knox is done throwing a fit and lean against the tree. I notice the kid on the ground, and he looks at me once with a bruised, dark blue eye before shutting it again.

"I didn't need your help!" Knox rushes over to me suddenly and holds me at arms' length.

"I could have-"

"Died?" I finish for him. He keeps his head down, but holds tighter onto my arm. He's shaking, and I can clearly see the start of tears that he's frantically wiping away with his sleeve. I take his hand, and watch the tears fall to the ground. Everything is quiet, and the boy on the ground is on his hands and knees, just staring.

I take my free hand to put on his chin, and force him to look at me. He looks like a mess with two legs, but I still smile. He tries to hold back one himself, but you can still see it in his navy colored eyes that he's happy. Sometimes a person's soul is in their eyes.

He leans in close to me, and I can feel his breath on my nose and warm to the smell. My cheeks flush, and I know I'm acting silly, but…

I pull away and look at him with a deep concern. He meets my gaze, and rips away from my hands, and sits next to the other boy, which I recognize as District Seven.

"What about Mel?" I blurt out. I know the small girl from home always meant something to him. Why am I something of interest when she's home waiting for him? This isn't about surviving; this is about finding your morals. And I am not about to go home when Mel is going to kill me. Though, she could never take me, I would let her rip me to shreds. Knox Keller is not an option for me. I don't think any man will ever be.

"What about Mel?" Knox looks at me, and closes his eyes. "Mel is my friend. What does she have to do with anything?"

"She gave you that ring didn't she?" the other boy asks. Knox gives him a weird look, and he shrugs. "I saw it on TV."

"She likes you, and you know it! Don't be stupid Knox!" I scream, and I'm sure someone can hear me.

"What does it matter?" he stands up, and faces me with anger in his eyes instead of the scared boy I knew less than ten seconds ago. "I'm on my death bed, Ravenna! I'm going to _die_! What the hell does Mel Scott mean to me? She's just someone I said goodbye to."

"At least you have friends!" I scream back. "When I said goodbye, my father couldn't look at me, and my mother just said to make her proud! Do you think this going to fix _anything_? Kissing you would only make things harder, I just can't…" I look up at him, and notice that I'm on my knees, sobbing. My voice cracks when I try to continue, but Knox just puts his arm around me just like he's done since I first meet him on stage.

"I'm so sorry," he says, and lets me curl up, and rest my head on his shoulder.

"My sister. Zewa. She was in love once. With a boy named Owen Winston. They spent days together, but my father said that he trusted him. That nothing would happen. The weird part is that they were seven," I laugh a little, and see that Knox is smiling too. "Then, she got sick. She couldn't breathe… and I watched her die, but I couldn't touch her when she tried to ask me to hold her. I-" I come up short, and breathe in deeply. "I never saw Owen again until three days before the Reaping. He had a pretty blonde girl on in his arms.

"I would never do that to you," he says.

"You already have," I look at him. "Mel is Zewa. While there may be nothing between you two yet, there could have been. I'm the blonde making you forget her."

"No, no, no," he holds his head in his hands, and then resorts to holding his knees close to his chest. "Mel… She's my best friend. She's like my sister."

I smile a half smile, and I know he see's my point. I stand up, and walk over to District Seven, and give him a light peck on the cheek. "Him, I can have," I say sarcastically. His face turns bright red, and Knox glares at him.

"Hell, I'll take that pretty blonde off your hands," he laughs, and elbows Knox.

"Like I care," Knox huffs, and sits down facing away from us. I feel bad for bringing him down so hard, but I want my partner to be my friend. I don't need romance, and when District Seven winks at me, I know I don't want his love either.

This is a game after all. Though, in here it's not always killing on our minds. It's trying to find the balance between good, evil, and love.

**~ Ok... So, I DID have Kaya in here, but when I read it again this morning I was far from happy with it, so, hopefully, we'll see her next time, along with Violet :)**

**:P I feel bad for murdering this chapter... :'(**


	18. The Little Bastard Stole My Crayons!

**Violet Blackthorne**

I stare into the Raven's back and wait for the day to be over, just like I always do. Last night the bridges had moved into a different order making it seem like the first day in the arena all over again. I'm sure the Gamemakers saw that the tributes were just gaining their footing, and now the joke is on us.

When the reds, yellows, pinks, and oranges of the arena sunset splash across the sky, Raven lets me slide off his back, and I sit right on the ground. Where most of the tributes are working their way up, we're working our way down. But even with the days of travel, we can still see the sky.

Our first day in the arena, Raven was struck down by Neal, but recovered quickly. That is, after I found him in a den he made himself in one of the trees. It took him less than a day to walk again. We made it a couple miles before Neal struck again. This time, he got my arm, leg, and skimmed the trident across my stomach. He was alone, and left quickly when Raven managed to get the trident out of his hands and threw it off the platform. The Career looked like he was about to cry. Well, I'm sure the rest is easy to figure out. Instead of walking, I spend my days on Raven's back.

He looks at me from the corner of his eye and hands over some jerky and water. All the water sources in the arena seem to be coming from the top of the trees… I don't understand how, but hey, it's the Hunger Games, after all, right?

I take the food, and water, and eat at will until I see him looking at me with hollow eyes. I drop everything, and cross my arms.

"No, Violet. You have to eat," he says, smiling, and puts the bag of jerky back in my hands.

"I haven't done anything to deserve to eat," I whisper, and rub my eyes.

"I'm not hungry anyway, so I'm giving you my share. I do deserve it," he laughs. "But I want you to have it."

I look at him, and pull his messy brown hair away from his blue eyes. I smile at their brightness, and he blushes a little bit. "I'm not hungry either," I whisper.

"Fine then," he sits up straighter and turns away from me, making his hair fall back over his eyes as usual. I remember when Yulanda, his stylist, chased him all over the training center so she could cut his hair, and he ended up on a shelf that no one could reach or dare climb. He had a vase in his hands, and I swear he would have dropped it on her head if she had came any closer with the scissors. "You can just go to sleep then."

"I'm not tired."

"Then what are you?"

"Uh, human," I smile, and he laughs.

"That's what they want you to think," he falls back laughing at his own joke, and I cover my own laugh with my hand.

"Don't do that," he comes closer, takes my hand away from my mouth, and smiles when I can't help but laugh a little more. "They want us to be scared in here; this is no time for embarrassment. These could be our last days to laugh."

There's a silence that makes us both uncomfortable, I'm sure. Raven dozes off after a while even though he insisted on keeping watch not ten minutes earlier. I watch him sleep just like I always do and feel guilty for making him responsible for my life. No one should have to go through that. Not when you're just a kid yourself. He's carried me all day, for four days. I try and stand up, just like I always do when he isn't watching, but my knees give out, and I'm right back on my face.

"What are you thinking about?" Raven whispers from the darkness of night. He obviously didn't see my fall; either that, or he ignored it. From the little moonlight we get down here, I think his eyes are still closed, or his hair has finally blinded him.

"Matthew," I lie. It seems wrong that I wasn't thinking about the boy I've loved for nine years. I was thinking about Raven. The person I am supposed to kill. I don't think I'll ever love anyone, let alone like Raven, like I do Matthew; but he does make me smile, laugh, and turn all shades of red when I don't want to.

"When did you start liking him?" he asks. I remember when our mentor told me to play up my love for someone back at home. It was supposed to be a secret until Raven opened his big mouth in the interview.

"_Raven, who is this mystery man Violet keeps talking about? Do you think it's you?" Caesar asks with his hands on his knees, narrowing his eyes at Raven. Maybe to see through his thick hair. _

"_No, it's not me. She hates me," he looks down, and the memories of training make me cringe. _

"_Well, who is it then?"_

"_Matthew."_

"Hmm... I think I liked him first in kindergarten. My first crush," I smile for the cameras, and look at Raven who shrugs.

"I liked Tigger Leaverson," he winks, or, at least, I think he does.

"What?" I sit up, and look at him. "What the hell did you see in _her_?"

"Whoa, Violet. No need to be jealous, she went out with Tristan in second grade. I'm perfectly single," he says, and puts an arm around my shoulders and gives them me quick squeeze before lying back down.

"That's not what I meant."

"Well, I'll ask you the same question then," he smiles, and turns his head towards me. "_What the hell do you see in her?" _he mimics me in a high pitched, idiotic voice. "Oh, I mean, _him._"

"I don't know. Nice, smart, funny…"

"_Nice_?" Raven cuts me off. "The little bastard stole my crayons."

"I have no idea why," I laugh, and ruffle his hair so it sticks up in all directions, revealing his eyes again.

**~So, remember I promised to add other characters? Right? Sorry that Tigger wasn't in district nine though... Anyways... Last time the deaths went by pretty quickly, and such. But I've tried to slow down. But, as a reader, aka the one I am trying to please, are the games too long? Should there be another battle?**

**Let me know in a review! Also, please mention any least favorite characters and how they should die... Meh :/ That sounds mean. But please do it. The poll is very much tied :(**


	19. Author's note

**To my lovely, amazing readers. **

**I've decided to take a short break. A vacation of sorts since the last book in the Hunger Games series made it into my hands on opening day, and let me tell you, I inhaled that book. My poor friend fell asleep around 4 a.m, but I couldn't stop until it was over. I would give it kind reviews, and tell you what I really think of the book, but I don't want to give anything away except for this (Which isn't really anything.)**

**Mockingjay has given me a better insight of the Capitol and it's workings which I think will reflect in my writing, and to make it fair to you, I don't want you to find the book, and say, "Whoa! Vamay predicted everything!" ... :/ ... Sadly, no. I am not that amazing. Not quite. **

**But, I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did with my poor friend Victoria who fought me everytime Team Peeta got one toe into Katniss's life... and then the same happened with Gale. It was quite entertaining! We even made hats, which may, or may not end up as my profile picture... depends on how I feel. :)**

**Happy Hunger Games, and I wish a joyful read of the last ...:'(... Hunger Games novel. **

**Much Love,**

**Em :) **


	20. Hello Again!

**Hello again, my dear readers! **

**I would like to announce a couple things this fine, fine morning :)**

**I have been given a co-author job on not one, but TWO stories, and I am absolutely ecstatic! One, is from the lovely WhenDayMeetsDark's story Envisioning Death! (http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/6117426/1/Envisioning_Death) Another submit a tribute story, but we're running low on characters! D: So, please support and check her out!**

**Summary: The eighty-ninth Hunger Games are upon us, and may the odds be ever in your favour. Enter your own tribute.**

**The next is a Mockingjay re-make. Currently has no tittle )':**

**I'm doing this with the amazing author, pointeshoejen! She's really an amazing writer, and my ranting partner ;) (If you haven't already, check out my mockingjay spoiler rant on my profile :)) Anyways, here's a sneak peek at this story. Any tittle ideas? Anything you would change about Mockingjay? **

***Spoilers ahead!... obviously!***

The rebellion turned out like we planned. I appeared on television while everyone else in the underground city of District Thirteen did the real work. The only thing that registers is that half of my team is gone. Johanna Mason. Her name still sends shock waves through my spine as I try to clear my head. The lump on my forehead may have gone away, but not the memory. The fear. But when I learned that she was only protecting me, I found a new respect for the tribute from District 7. Then, there's the most heart breaking. My own partner, Peeta Mellark isn't here. He isn't here to hold me, or tell me I'm going to be okay. He isn't around to shed is warm glow of happiness, and kindness. He won't be. Ever.

The only hope I have in my new life is Gale. Though he wasn't my partner in the games, he was, and always will be, my partner in life. However, since the first time I stepped foot in the evergreen forest of the Seventy Fourth annual Hunger Games, I knew something between us shifted. We aren't kids anymore messing around in the woods, collecting strawberries for the mayor's family, or even feeding our families. Everything down here was done for us, and that made part of our friendship die.

I look up at the lights in the room and beg them to dim. The soft flickering light always made District 12 seem a little warmer in the deep freezes of winter. I close my eyes and let my mind drift. His smile, his laugh his… My eyes fly open, and I take in a whole new pair of eyes. Ones that did not puncture my dreams. Ones with dark grey irises that shine a little when I see my own reflection. The image makes me shudder, and I feel almost embarrassed that Gale is seeing me like this. Although, it's nice to see him again, even if he isn't my boy with the bread.

"Morning," he smiles. I don't answer, I just stare at him. His dark hair is cut short, and it's combed nicely. His grey clothes fit around his broad shoulders perfectly. Add a little bit of glitter and hair dye and he would look perfect enough to come from the Capitol. But of course I don't share this thought with him. "Feeling better?" He asks.

"Much," I lie with a smile. Unlike my friends in the games, Gale smiles happily and accepts the lie. I can't tell if he believes me or not. Surely not. He's been my hunting partner too long to forget how my emotions work. Or has that part of us died too?

"President Coin is allowing you into Command today," he says brightly. Since his heroic act of saving some of District Twelve, he's been greeted into the head of the rebellion warmly.

"I don't think I'm ready," I breathe. Even though from the beginning I wanted to help Peeta in any way I could, I don't think I could watch him on television, talk about his possible condition, or even attempt to answer the question of whether he was still breathing.

**Hope you liked it! COMING SOON! **

**Sorry about all the author's notes! :( But trust me, I'm not the worst one out there! (You know who you are ;))**


	21. Die Fighting

**Ashlyn Code**

I take in a deep breath as night overcomes the arena. I smile slightly as the live map is drawn up in front of me. District Five is sleeping on the platform, and I hold me hands up to my lips feeling the cold radiating off of them. The shrill bird call pierces the air, and I wait silently. A smile plays across my lips as Lionel's breath warms my shoulder.

"They're sitting ducks."

I leap from my post, and grab onto the rope that travels strait down to their little camp. Pathetic. My hands burn as I travel down towards the camp, and sail through the night when there's nothing left to hold me. The girl is the first to react, with her knife held high, she attempts to take me out, but I have her in a headlock before that can happen. The boy takes a while, but comes running at me when the girl screams. My foot makes contact with his chest, and he tumbles to the ground.

When the girl finally feels limp in my arms, I pin him down, but the young man's more of a fighter than I thought. I gasp as he rolls, causing the both of us to reach the edge of the platform. He struggles to grab at a knife, but I quickly punch his throat in as a last resort. My breath catches as I start feeling my hands tremble, and the silhouette of a mysterious tribute come upon us.

Her dark blond hair comes in swirls of orange and pink as the rising sun's light streams through the tree tops. The knife leaves her hand faster than I can react. But her aim is off, so it just nicks my shoulder. By the time she has another weapon ready; I pull five's shoulders up and his neck snaps forward once the impact of the blade enters his back. Blood spurts out of his mouth, and blinds me. Out of habit, I let go of his body, and wipe the blood from my face.

The boy on the ground shudders, and the cannon fires. It takes only a moment to realize that I've lost my human shield, and she has me pinned. I glance at her shirt and find a big '3' stamped on the front. My world is coming to an end, but I was never raised to go down with out a fight. I kick my legs, and manage to squirm a bit out of her reach.

"Lionel!" I scream. When I found him a couple days ago, he had told me he would help me break into the camp, but that he'd be long gone after that. "Lionel!" My head lurches backwards and all I see is the rising sun upside down.

With one last battle cry, I bring my legs up, and her body comes towards me. I feel her hands grab onto my hair like a rope, and scream again. "Lionel!" I slide backwards, unable to keep my foot hold. A root jutting out from under the platform is my last life line. But, with my sudden stability, District Three tumbles past me, with two fists full of black hair.

Warm flesh comes across my hand, and I look into the terror struck face of my partner.

"Tell every one of my siblings I love them. Make sure Aimon knows how much I appreciate him, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm-" my breath hitches into sobs, realizing how close my own death is becoming. His blue eyes glaze over, and his hand is slipping from mine.

"This isn't how this is going to end!" he screams through his own tears. "You can't die like this!"

"People die all the time," I whisper up at him. "I hope you remember me."

"I'll never forget you," he says squeezing my hand one last time before I can't feel him with me anymore. Though, even with a bitter sweet goodbye, it's nice to know that the world I'm leaving is in good hands. Or, at least the small portion that I played a part in.

"I'll never forget you," I whisper to myself as I plummet to the earth below me.

* * *

**~Ok, so as you can see I'm SLOWLY getting back into this. I was too impatient for a beta, so the grammer is probably crap... yeah, please don't tell me. **

**Tour de Force: I'll send the next chapter to you soon! I have not forgotten you! :D **


	22. Cross Your Heart

**Connor Lizben**

I peer over at Luna, who is sitting all alone on the other side of the fire. We decided to risk the smoke since all of the tributes were getting desperate right about now. They were starving and cold. This had been the longest Games I've ever encountered. They're probably up in the Capitol remarking on how lazy we all are. I mean, why wouldn't we just want to get it over with?

Luna looks back at me with that hue of violet floating in the black abyss of her eyes. I turned away with my face severely flushed. I cough and look back at her with a more confident smile. She laughs a little and scoots towards me. _Is it warm in here, or is it just me? _

I desperately try and compose myself. "Connor?" Luna purrs. "Why are you sweating?"

"I'm not." My sturdy tone hushes her, and I look at my toes so that my hair will cover my broken expression. She buys it.

"Don't you like me?" her hand trails up my arm.

"You're okay, I guess." I tell her honestly. Well, sure she was nice, and kind of pretty but what did I really know about Luna? She was just a part of another happy family while I spent my days with Dew and Vik in the woods. I longed to go back to them and vent about everything I was feeling.

"I love you!" she blurted. When I looked at her, my confusion written all over my face I'm sure, she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I have this weird habit of saying everything that's on my mind."

"What?" I was still confused.

"Don't you love me too?" she looks at me with those wide eyes again.

"No…"

Tears fell faster than I had expected. Why did girls have to be such emotional wrecks? I remember when Elyn had her first crush and was rejected. I think that was around the time she lost her family. When she joined us. Elyn was like my sister from that point on.

"W-what do you mean, 'No?'" she started demanding. "I love you, Connor Lizben! And you tell me 'no'?"

"That's right," I say, anger bubbling to the surface. "You don't know anything about me!"

Her blade came out faster than expected. _What is wrong with this girl! _But I'm faster. I closed my eyes, but I could feel my enemy closing in like every good hunter does. I was lost in emotion and my own gut feelings.

She thought I wasn't paying attention when she ran at me. Because when she reached me… She was already dead.

**Vengeance Quiseng**

Dawn was finally reaching the arena when 'The Little Turd' woke up. He doesn't have a name yet but I think my suggestion is quite acceptable. Though, Kai doesn't seem to think it's as funny as I do. Of course, these nicknames change from time to time depending on my mood. One time I even called him "Shmeekie". I have no idea where that one came from.

I opened my eyes to come face to face with the thing. He was screaming his little head off with veins jutting out his temples, and his skin a sickly beet red. Kai soothed him as she always does and reaches for our stack of supplies. Since my little battle with District 11, we've gotten plenty of sponsor gifts- though it's a tad disgusting when Kai started using the parachutes as make-shift diapers.

Her hand rests on the cold wood floor. Her eyes open and she looks around. "Ven?" she whispers. I still have my eyes half closed, wishing she would tell me to go back to bed. "Ven?" she pleads more loudly.

"What…?" I whine like a child.

"It's gone." I straighten up so fast my vision goes blurry and I look around. I'm on my feet in seconds when I notice the missing supplies.

"Dammit!" I kick the wall with pure furry. "What kind of… asshole does this!" I yell at no one in particular.

"I don't know…" Kai trails off.

"Well," I look at her, then to the demon himself. "I guess I have to go back out there. Fight. Get more sponsors if I can. One package of formula will cost massive amounts of money. I'm surprised Glam even sent the first ship load."

"I know, I know. But Ven, I won't let you go out there alone."

"I have to."

"Just…" Kai is at a loss for words. I know she understands as well as I do that we can't work together. She's as much of a mother as that thing's got right now. I hold the strap of an empty backpack in my hands and look at her with a gut wrenching feeling. Like I'm never going to see either of them ever again.

"I'll see you later?" I don't know why it came out as a question. I guess being in the Games deprives you of that sense of security.

"I'll be right here." She says looking up at me, and then back down at what's-his-face.

"Promise?"

She smiles one of those sad smiles that I remember my mother wearing a long time ago. "I swear." She pauses, looking down at the infant. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

**~HHhheeeyyy guys! Just a short one to hold ya over for a little while longer. WINTER BREAK IS COMING! That means TONS of time to write, write, write! Hope ya liked this little instalment! **

**-Em**


	23. Little Miracles

**Lionel Carter**

Stars bounce off the tree tops as I lie down on the cold wood. Trees above rumble with the wind that's picked up but I'm not afraid. I can still see the small indents in the planks below me where Ashlyn had tried to save herself. I gut wrenching feeling worked its way through my body and I can't help let a tear lose as my condolences to my fallen partner. Back home, all I remember her as is the one completely unattainable girl I ever meet. Though, I had only tried to get close to her once, and I was seven. She proclaimed she was already married to Will Jayden. Let's just say, I was crushed until I meet Jodi Backer.

A sob jolts the memory out of my head. I touch my chest but realize that it's not heaving like it usually does when I cry… not that I cry often. I turn my head from the claw marks on the cedar to the sorry face of Ravenna Lawlee. When I catch her eye, she falls to her knees. I try to look away but she's right there.

Her partner's dead too. And it's all my fault. I've barely touched a weapon in these Games, and I killed three people. I killed the person who saved my life. I never thought in a million years that I would feel like I needed to owe anything to Knox Keller. Aimon killed Risto Code and now I've murdered Knox Keller. _Murder. _I hit my chest.

"What are you doing?" Ravenna's shaky voice comes out through the gloom.

"Oh, you know, stamping my conscious with another bloody sin."

"I'm sorry about Ashlyn," she gulps. "Were you two close?"

"Hardly," I tell her. "That girl was bad from the beginning. She even convinced our mentor that she was Risto Code's sister. She was evil anyway."

"Aren't we all?" Ravenna comes closer and props her head up with her hands as she lies down on her stomach.

"No, I don't think so," I say thinking about it closer than I ever wanted to. "You're not evil… you wouldn't be so upset about Knox if you were evil." A lump grown in my throat at the mention of his name.

Ravenna doesn't respond. I sit back and look at the stars again. Their beauty diving into the sky like gems in a dark mine. One star streaks across the sky.

_"Make a wish," Hawthorne whispers in my ear._

_"Why?" I ask him. Nothing had happened to signified a wish of any sort. It wasn't my birthday and there wasn't a well in sight. Just us in the deep forest admiring the night sky while Aunt Florence made dinner back home. Nothing passed the time better than a good old-fashioned adventure. _

_"Why? It's a shooting star, my boy! Just repeat after me. 'Star light, star-"_

_"That's silly." I told him. "Saying a rhyme won't make wishes come true."_

_"Not if you don't believe."_

"Star light, star bright. First star I see tonight," I pause to look at Ravenna who's looking up at the sky. Her gaze follows the outline of the big dipper, all the way to the North Star. "Wish I may, wish I might, have this wish I make tonight." I clasp her hand.

"What was that for?"

"I'm giving it to you," I look at her. Her shaggy brown hair lining her face that draws up in a smile. Her hazel eyes squint slightly and shine in the moonlight. She nods slightly, and her face transforms into one of thought.

"I don't know what to wish for."

"Wish for something good. Something you deserve, because that star knows if you deserve it or not. I asked for a puppy the first time I did this but didn't get one because I had just broken my aunt's vases and china."

She broke into a small laugh. "How did you manage to break all of that?"

"With a bat of course," I winked.

**Vengeance Quiseng**

_Those bastards! Those God awful, no good piece of- _

_Snap!_

I brought my running to a halt and squeezed myself into crevice in a nearby tree. The last thing I needed was to be caught and have Kai and the boy starve to death because I couldn't hold off a couple of weaklings. Whispers floated up through the darkness and a flash of sparks poured onto a small pile of kindling and moss.

I recognized both of the tributes that were trying to coax the fire to life. The girl from Eleven… I remember the look on her face when her cousin fell off the platform. I felt my knees bumping each other at the memory and mentally cursed both of my legs. The boy was there too. He had the bow and arrow… the one that got away.

The boy pulled off a backpack and leaned against it lazily before getting up again and dumping some of the contents. Cans, a couple packages of dried fruit and jerky. How did he have all that?

"What's that?" the girl looked up from the flames at the boy.

"I went scouting last night, remember?" he poked the fire with a long stick. "I came across the mother lode!"

"Really?" she reached over him and took a can while he smiled with confidence. She took one of his arrows and carefully wedged it under the medal lid to pry it open. She poured out a good five handfuls of white dust. "What is this?" she asks, taking a pinch or so and sprinkling it on her tongue. She made a sour face.

"What?" he asks, jumping up. "It can't be that bad!"

"It tastes like… mother's milk." My eyes widen in realization. I couldn't help the look of disgust that came over my features. That _squirt _had stolen our supplies? A whimper from behind me made me jump out of my socks. I sprinted to the opposite side of the tree to avoid being seen. I needed a plan of action, I needed-_ouch._

I slammed smack into Kai. _"What are you doing here?" _I whispered angrily.

"I'm trying to help you!" she whispered even angrier than me.

"I found the supplies, now go back!"

"No!"

"What was that?" the boy's voice floated into my ear like a forgotten chore. I heard his footsteps faster than I could think. I pulled Kai behind me and braced myself for the worst. He came out armed with a flaming torch. The girl was behind him and wide eyed with fear. They were defiantly startled to see us.

"What do you want?" the boy attempted to growl but it came out as a hoarse, gurgling noise.

"You know exactly what we want," I growled, showing him how it was done. "Punk," I added for effect.

"Excuse me? I have no idea what you're talking about," he lied.

"Don't play dumb. Hand over the food or die," I challenge. Kai laid a hand on my shoulder and stepped out. I stared at the backpack that wiggled a little. I spun her around and looked into her eyes to make sure she wasn't pulling my leg. 'You brought it?' I mouthed frantically. She shrugged and looked back at the couple in front of me.

"Please," she tried. "What do you need with baby formula anyway? It's of no use to you."

"Irrelevant."

The girl stepped forward. I started removing my sword when Kai rest her hand on my arm and gave me that look that told me not to do anything stupid and shut up. District Eleven held out her hand, holding her only weapon – a dagger – and let it fall to the wood. The point stuck to the cedar. She took another step forward slowly before feeling more confidence to come up to Kai. They gave each other a look – girl language I guess since the boy looked as confused as myself – and Kai gave a nod of her head before turning around. Eleven undid the latch on the backpack and reached inside with both hands. The pink baby wiggled in her grasp. I could practically hear the gasp of the Panem as they watched.

"How did you know?" I looked at her.

"I saw his eyes," she said with a smile and lifted the boy up so he could rest his giant head on her fragile looking shoulder.

"How?"

"He looked at me, when you were speaking to your partner." She looked at the baby then made a signal with her finger for us to follow. _Finally! We're getting somewhere! Who knew just showing her the baby would get us the supplies back? If I had known that, I would have just strapped him to my chest and run around here until someone felt sorry for me. _

"What are you doing?" he spun her around and looked at her closely before Kai and I could take even a half step. _Okay, never mind_.

"We don't need it," she whispers angrily. "They do, they have a baby! _This _baby!" she points one of her fingers at him.

"Who cares!"

"_Gabe!_"

So his name is Gabe, eh? Gabe swung his arms and stamped his feet like he was about to throw a tantrum.

He grabbed the kid. My teeth ground under the pressure. I saw Kai look at me with fear written across her face, but I couldn't concentrate on her feeling right now. As much as the kid pooped and cried he was still… family? I don't know why I felt like I needed to save him but I needed him.

Gabe swung his arms out and holds the poor kid over the edge of the platform. He began to wail, with good reason. Less than a couple weeks old, and he was already on the brink of death.

"I'll do it, I swear! Just go away!" Gabe screamed at us, tears stinging his eyes.

"Are you _insane_?" Eleven screamed back.

"You're with them?" Gabe asked, baffled.

"No." she shook her head, starting to cry as well. "But I am defiantly against you."

"You… you traitor!"

That's when he fell from Gabe's grasp. His cry faded into the darkness of the arena.

"NO!" Kai screeched, falling to her knees. "No, no, no, no, no!" she kept screaming, clawing at the planks as if she could bring him back up. _Why was I not doing anything?_ As much as Kai looked insane on her hands and knees screaming, she was doing something while I was doing nothing. I had the boy pinned in a minute tops.

"You bastard! You fucking bastard!" I slammed his head into the wood with every syllable. "What kind of man goes as low as to hurt a child! He was _only _baby!" I sighed. "You know what? I don't care what you think or what you did. We're in the Hunger Games, and you deserve to be dead."

_Off with his head._

**Raven Cruz**

A faint crying. A whimper, then that broke into a full-blown wail. High pitched and pained. I glanced at Violet, but she still stayed asleep. I got into a crouch and looked at her face, covered in moonlight before running off towards the sound.

I stayed close to the bark, hugging the rough surface before facing the enemy with my knife ready. A trembling thing lay in front of my in a pile of moss. Bile started building up in my mouth as I took in the gruesome sight in front of me.

A baby, I think, lay between me and all the blood. Red tinted bones broke through one arm and a leg, while at least one of the poor kids fingers lie in an abnormal angle. He couldn't cry anymore, I'm sure it hurt to simply breathe. He just lay in the moss trembling. I was afraid to move him, but he would die if I didn't. I picked him up by ripping away the moss and running into the blackness of the night.

**~Hey guys! So, Happy New Year's! Hope you all spend time with friends and family to end 2010! **

**Hope you guys liked the chapter. I'm starting another submit-a-tribute story called "Our Heart Are Heavy Burdens" if you'd like to participate :)**


	24. Going Home

**Kaya Gospic**

I'm running so hard my lungs feel like they're about to burst through my chest. She's after me. Kaylee Darkblade is after me. I slip into a room with wood panels all around me. I slump to the ground as she sprints past the opening of the shelter. While trying to catch my breath I glance at the room. Small pieces of paper flutter in the wind on the opposite walls.

I get on my hands and knees and look at them. Most of the people in the pictures I don't recognize, some I do. I see Ian, Ravenna, and Violet with smiling strangers all around them. As I go through the pictures I see more of them. Trandressa and her cousin playing in a field of tall grass as small children. Vengeance and Kaleidoscope in a stiff school picture when they were 8 or so. It's all so hard to swallow.

"What are you doing?" a harsh voice comes from the left of me. I spin around, but no one is watching me. I look back at the wall, and close my eyes. "Why the hell are you just sitting there?" The voice yells.

_"You are not the daughter I raised!"_

"Mom!" I scream, frantically looking around. I claw at the walls, desperately looking for her. She died so long ago. I need her with me. I need to tell her I love her. That I'm sorry for being weak for…

"Peek-a-boo" Kaylee stands in the doorway. Her smile is menacing, and I can only look at her with the deepest fear I've ever known. Terror.

Before I can think, I'm on my feet running again. But something is different this time. This time I'm running straight towards her.

"I'll see you soon mom." I whisper. I don't think about her taunts, or her yelling before. My mother is trying to reach me through the Capitol, and all the Capitol knows is hate. I believe it with my very soul that is the truth.

I guess it doesn't matter anymore since I'm already off the edge.

**Violet Blackthorn**

I wake up to the misty arena. Like every other morning, I wish that it was all just a nightmare. I check out my leg like I do every morning, trying not to notice Raven's absence. He's probably somewhere up in the tree tops scouting out the area like he does most mornings.

The three gashes that Neal's trident made still looks as sickening as ever. I reach for the pack of bandages but my hand rests on cold wood. I turn my head and blink at my empty hand.

"Raven!" I yell into the morning air.

"Just a second," he mutters back.

"No," I say more angrily. "I need you now!"

"Okay, okay," he says and returns to me. His clothes are in disarray and blood is all over the front of his shirt and pants. I take in a shuttered breath. "No Violet! It's not what it looks like!"

"Then what is… this!" I wave my arms like an idiot. "What did you do?"

"I found a baby. And he's… well, he isn't so great. He looks like someone slammed his head into a brick wall. "I shutter again at the thought.

"Help me up." I take his hand and limp off with him to this mysterious child. I knew that District six had given birth early in the games but I always figured that the thing died, or was left behind since both of them died early in the games.

But there he was. In a mound of bandages and blood, there he was. I fall to my knees it's so horrible. The child's eyes turn to me, big and blue. Terror streaks across its face as he tries to wiggle away from me.

"Shh… It's okay," I place my hand gently on his cheek and murmur calming things, and lullabies, and how sorry I am. Anything to make him feel better. I don't think that it matters if the infant can hear me or not. His face relaxes and he closes his eyes. His mouth turns into a hint of a smile. I look at Raven and he smiles too.

"We can do this."

"Together," I agree.

**~Okay, so I wrote this sum, 3 weeks ago? Well, I never heard back from my beta and desided to post it as-is. Hope its not too bad!**


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